Calgary Jazz Academy is the Calgary Jazz Orchestra's education branch. Its aim is to promote jazz culture, music, and education to inspire passion and appreciation for jazz music's complexity, beauty, and significance among people of all ages.
The program explicitly seeks to keep jazz music exciting and relevant for upcoming generations here in Calgary and beyond. We provide experiences beyond traditional clinic/workshop models by fostering relationships founded on an appreciation for the jazz art form.
The Academy program aims to expose musicians of all ages to essential topics in jazz performance. The Calgary Jazz Orchestra's Artistic Director, Johnny Summers, and senior members from the CJO guide program members with engaging and supportive instruction and mentorship.
learn more & apply
2026 ACADEMY application
Full name:
email address:
Instrument:
describe your experience:
Which ENSEMBLE are you interested in joning? BIg band, purple combo, RED COMBO, blue combo
calgary jazz academy big band
Educated by: Johnny Summers
All Ages/all levels
solid commitment to improving big band skills, only one musician per part accepted. Be challenged and come learn with us.
DATE: mondays/May 2-JUne 22/Break May 18
TIME: 7:00pm -9:00pm
location: nw corner of calgary
CHAIRS: 5 saxophones, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, guitar, piano, bass, drums
Cost: $200.00 + gst.
calgary jazz academy purple combo
Educated by: Shane statz
for those new to jazz
DATE: tuesdays/May 5-june 23
TIME: 7:00pM - 9:00PM
location: anacrussis music, beltline
CHAIRS: 4 horns, guitar, piano, bass, drums
cost: $260+ gst ($50.00 discount if also joining the big band)
calgary jazz academy RED combo
Educated by: JIM JOHNSTON
All ages/intermediate to advanced
DATE: wednesdayS/April 29-June 24/break may 13 and June 10/guest June 3
TIME: 7:00PM - 9:00PM
location: cornerstone music, se calgary
CHAIRS: 4 horns, guitar, piano, bass, drums
cost: $260.00 + GST ($50.00 discount if also joining the big band)
calgary jazz academy BLUE combo
Educated by: shane statz
All ages/intermediate to advanced
DATE: saturdays/May 2-june 20/Break May 16
TIME: 11:00AM - 1:00PM
location: anacrusis music, beltline
CHAIRS: 4 horns, guitar, piano, bass, drums
cost: $260.00 + GST ($50.00 discount if also joining the big band)
SUBMIT >
thank you for submitting an application for the CALGARY JAZZ ORCHESTRA 2024 elevate ensemble
Our team will review your submission and reach out to notify you of your application status and/or other opportunities shortly.
improve skills through jam sessions and call-and-response activities
IMPROVE TONE AND APPROACH TO RHYTHMIC, MELODIC, AND HARMONIC IMPROVISATION
DEVELOP JAZZ SOUND, ARTICULATION,
AND LANGUAGE
DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR APPROACHING CHORD CHANGES AND IMPROVE THE USE OF SCALES AND PATTERNS TO BUILD SOLOS
DEVELOP ACTIVE LISTENING TO IMPROVE TONE, LANGUAGE, ARTICULATION, AND INFLECTION
LEARN TO BECOME A BETTER ENSEMBLE PLAYER BY IMPROVING SIGHT READING, SIGHT SINGING, PLUS DEVELOP SECTION TUNING, BLEND, AND BALANCE
HOW AND WHY TO TRANSCRIBE JAZZ MUSIC
LEARN TO OVERCOME PERFORMANCE ANXIETY BY PROJECTING CONFIDENCE THROUGH YOUR INSTRUMENT
HOW TO ARRANGE COMBO CHARTS