In November, the Madison Jazz Society awarded grants totaling $4,479 from its School Grant Fund to music programs in Wisconsin schools to help students learn about and perform jazz. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, grant requests were received from only nine schools (some schools have suspended their music and arts programs). Teachers were encouraged to apply for grants to purchase items and equipment that will help them teach virtually, which many of them are doing.

Belleville High School (Stephanie Meir, Director) was awarded $529 to help purchase Noteflight for their Jazz Band’s use.

Other 2020-21 school year grants were awarded to DeForest Area High School (Brandon Bautz, Director) – $500 to help support virtual jazz concerts in December and May; Mayville High School (James Cooney, Director) – $500 to help purchase high level instrument microphones for the Jazz Band; Menomonie High School (Jacob Karkula, Director) – $500 to help purchase Jazz Ensemble sheet music; Oshkosh: Webster Stanley Middle School (Nathaniel Miller, Director) – $450 to help purchase jazz books for the Jazz Band; Platteville High School (Kevin Cooley, Director) – $500 to purchase charts to expand the Jazz Band library and technology; Salem: Westosha High School (Adam Scheele, Director) – $500 to help purchase a baritone saxophone for the Jazz Band; Sun Prairie High School (Matt McVeigh, Director) – $500 to support Digital Swing-Virtual Jazz studio classes; and Wisconsin Dells Middle and High Schools (Matt Roble and Koreena Wood, Directors) – $500 to help purchase Jazz sheet music and support the schools’ Upright Bass fund.

In announcing the awards, MJS President Linda Marty Schmitz stated, “We are very proud that the money awarded this year, and since the program began in 1989, brings the total amount of scholarships and grants awarded by our all-volunteer organization to over $141,000. We are pleased that these grants will assist students and teachers from all over Wisconsin now and in years to come. We are thrilled to see that many schools, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, are working to provide opportunities for their students to learn about America’s original art form – jazz.”

More information on the school grant program and the Society can be found at http://www.madisonjazz.com. Formed in 1984, the Madison Jazz Society is a non-profit, all volunteer organization formed to encourage the performance of, preservation of and education about jazz.