Learning Together at the 2025 Jazz Education Conference

In January 2025, the Erb Family Foundation supported the Foundation’s six jazz education grant partners in attending the 2025 Jazz Education Network Conference in Atlanta to learn more about the organization and to further connect and build relationships. Our Arts and Culture Program Officer Adam DesJardins chatted with Jainelle Robinson, Community Engagement Officer at ArtOps, and Scott Gwinnell, Director of Education at Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, to recap their experiences and reflections from the conference. 

Adam: What was your experience and your overall impressions with the Jazz Education Network Conference? 
 
Scott Gwinnell: I went to many vocal performances and educational clinics to learn and observe. I had a blast spending my time this way and it was particularly great professional development for me as a vocal teacher, especially as one that is not a vocalist. In attending these sessions, I also was able to introduce myself to new, fellow vocal teachers – I had to “infiltrate their clique” at one point, and fortunately, they welcomed me in pretty quickly. 
 
Attending the conference at the beginning of January really infused me with some energy before the semester started. I got knowledge and enthusiasm from the experience that helped give me what I needed to start the school year. Being a teacher and getting this type of professional development is great, and I don’t get afforded that opportunity very often.

Jainelle Robinson: My role within jazz education work is more of an administrative role, as I help to convene and facilitate the JazzEd group that networks the Foundation’s jazz education partners. There wasn’t much of an administrative approach to the conference, but I found the experience most beneficial as an opportunity to learn alongside the JazzEd partners and build relationships. Being able to experience the varied conference offerings and learn from what went well and what didn’t was helpful for me as JazzEd works to plan its first ever event, a jazz education festival organized by all five organizational partners.

Adam: What did you learn through your experience at the conference? 

Jainelle: That the South can’t take any snow! We survived Atlanta Snowmageddon! (Context: we all experienced a snowstorm in Atlanta and were stuck in the conference hotel and experienced significant delays at the world’s busiest airport.) But actually, I really benefitted most from the sessions that included both artistic demonstration and lecture-like presentation. I found those sessions to be particularly captivating because not only were the presenters talking about the educational process, but they were demonstrating it, through Brazilian music and even tap dance. Learning more about the Jazz Education Network as a resource was additionally helpful, and through the conference, I learned more about organizations working in other places that have a specific focus on inclusive efforts supporting women in jazz, which has been helpful for thinking about future JazzEd programming.

Scott: I really appreciated the opportunity to get new materials and inspiration to amplify the work I do in the classroom. I also made connections that are taking shape. I got to talk with one of the vocal presenters following her session and shared that I would love for her to come present a summer workshop. She shared that she comes back to the Detroit area every summer and thought it might be a good fit and she could make it work with the rate I’m able to offer. She’s a pedagogue, performer, and someone new to bring into the work, which can be nice for fresh perspective.  
 
I love that students and teachers get to attend this conference together and it shows that jazz is a lifelong learning process. We’re all teachers and all students at every moment of our lives.

Adam: Well, thank you both for being open to attending the conference and for sharing your experiences. I’m excited to continue the conversation around this professional development offering and exploring future opportunities like this. Your participation in this really helped me better understand the conference as a resource for our partners. Jainelle, thanks again for your work and the team at ArtOps for helping to coordinate travel, attendance, and logistics, even during Atlanta Snowmageddon. 
 
Learn more about the Foundation’s support of JazzEd Detroit and our Foundation jazz education partners, and the Jazz Education Network.