Jump into Jazz

A Multi-Perspective University Jazz Mediation Programme for Elementary School Children

Abstract

Jump into Jazz is a one-year university programme, designed by Corinna Danzer and Ulrike Schwarz, which addresses not only jazz students, but also students in teacher training. Highlight is a jazz concert with children. To reach children regardless of their cultural and socio-economic background, we cooperate with public elementary schools. Jump into Jazz aims to make jazz accessible to a wider audience. We want to achieve this by training jazz musicians for jazz mediation and by supporting both current and future music teachers to incorporate aspects of jazz education into their repertoire. The third edition of Jump into Jazz was staged in 2024, in collaboration with the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. This article outlines the multi-faceted concept and asserts that jazz mediation should join forces with jazz education to obtain lasting effects.