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Communications
Hello Everyone:
The annual IAJE Conference is once again upon us. This years conference will again be held in the jazz capital of the world, New York City. The dates for this years event are Wednesday, January 10 through Saturday, January 13, 2007, co-hosted by two midtown hotels -- Hilton New York & Towers, Sheraton New York & Towers. The conference is an amazing experience featuring loads of jazz education workshops, clinics, showcase performances, organizational meetings, and panel discussions. As always, Michigan is tremendously represented. I urge you to visit our website and peruse the official schedule. If you attend, please feel free to take pictures and email a conference report (observations, news, notes) back to membership via our website.
Also, the annual Michigan Music Educators Conference will be taking place in Grand Rapids at the Amway Grand Hotel from Thursday, January 25 through Saturday, January 27, 2007. Several important IAJE events will take place on Saturday:
- 8:30 AM - IAJE Michigan State officer meeting (outside the Haldane Room, Amway Grand Hotel)
- 11:00 AM - IAJE Michigan New Music Reading Band (Haldane Room, Amway Grand Hotel)
- 12:00 PM – IAJE Michigan General Membership Meeting (Haldane Room, Amway Grand Hotel)
This past September at the Detroit Jazz Festival, and again in December at the Mid-West Clinic in Chicago, IAJE MI once again had fruitful meetings our friends at MSBOA. Over the past two years, our two organizations have been discussing several important issues that both IAJE and MSBOA face. I am pleased to report we are now where we can actively work toward several common goals. One of the most important issues that have been discussed at length is the potential MSBOA Jazz Festival affiliation with IAJE. There is consensus between the two organizations and we can now begin the process for constructing a proposal and formally submitting it to the MSBOA Board. I will be working on this first thing in January. I will update you as the process moves forward.
At the September General Membership meeting in Detroit, MSBOA Executive Director Paul Stanifer stated that he will work with IAJE MI to offer more jazz events at the Michigan Music Educators Conference beginning in 2008.
As can be seen by the above two initiatives and the Detroit Festival, IAJE and MSBOA are working together to further jazz and jazz education throughout the great state of Michigan. It is my hope that through the cooperation of our two organizations we will become a model to follow for the many disparate state Music Education organizations and IAJE State Units throughout the country.
This spring all state chapters, including IAJE Michigan, will begin the process of nominations for and elections of state officers. If you are interested in pursuing a board position, or if you know of someone else who may hold interest in becoming a state officer please email me.
Finally, as I’ve mentioned vigorously in the past, please utilize the amazing website that our editor/webmaster has developed. He has done an unbelievable job with the site. I, and others believe it is the best and most informative IAJE state website in the country. Participate and be recognized within our e-community as we seek to maximize communications. Take a few minutes of your busy time to explore and give site feedback, utilize the many resources available, and talk-it-up with everyone you come in contact with.
Thanks again for all that you do to support jazz in Michigan. Hope to see you at IAJE NYC 2007.
Happy Holidays!
Brian Coyle
IAJE Michigan President
Director of Jazz Studies – Hope College
