Before the Jazz Links Student Council was formed in 2005, opportunities for high
school jazz musicians to gain professional performance experience were scarce.
The Jazz Institute of Chicago developed the council so that aspiring high school
jazz musicians could connect, collaborate, and grow together- long before they
headed to music school or tried to ‘make it’ on the professional scene.
 
Over the last eight years, the Jazz Institute has succeeded in bringing together
the next generation of Chicago jazz musicians while they are still in the
beginning stages of musical development. Each month, students from
throughout Chicago and its suburbs meet to discuss topics such as Music
Professionalism, Creating a Practice Plan, Composing and Copyrighting Music,
Bandleading 101, and many more. Meeting topics are based on student input,
and each year’s curriculum is tailored to interests of the council members.
 
The council provides hands-on experiences and real-life application of skills vital
to the professional jazz musicians of today. In 2010, the council released their
first CD The Drive to learn the process of creating, designing, producing, and
marketing an album. Through a recent partnership with Symphony Center
Presents, council members attend the SCP jazz series free of charge and are
granted backstage access to meet artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Joshua
Redman, Christian McBride, and more. Students also have opportunities to
perform at monthly jam sessions and with Jazz Links Ensembles that play local
gigs and serve as opening acts for JIC’s JazzCity and Made In Chicago: World
Class Jazz concerts.
 
From master classes to jam sessions, professional development to live
performances, there is nothing else quite like the Jazz Links Student Council.
Membership is open to all high school jazz musicians, and no auditions are
required to participate. To join, simply email katie@jazzinchicago.org and request an application.