BOSTON, October 21, 2002 — Berklee College of Music, in collaboration with the Boston Jazz Society and the Boston Public Library, will introduce young people to jazz this fall. A handful of Berklee faculty members, led by Associate Professor of Percussion Jon Hazilla, will volunteer their time and expertise to perform jazz at three libraries on three Saturday mornings. All events are at 11 a.m. and are free.

• Codman Square Branch, 690 Washington St., Dorchester, on October 26th For more info call (617) 436-8214;
• South Boston Branch, 646 East Broadway, South Boston, on November 16th For more info call (617) 268-0180;
• Hyde Park Branch, 35 Harvard Ave., Hyde Park, on December 7th For more info call (617) 361-2524.

After a 45-minute performance, to include a Duke Ellington standard, a blues number with the help of audience participation, and a rap version of the history of jazz led by Berklee alumna and vocalist Abria Smith, the Berklee faculty will discuss all aspects of life as a professional jazz musician.

The performers will answer questions about various options available to learn jazz at different ages and at different levels of study.

Children in elementary and middle schools are encouraged to attend with their families. The week prior to each event, a photographic exhibit, courtesy of the Boston Jazz Society, will be on exhibit at the respective libraries, featuring jazz luminaries and historical jazz clubs in the Boston area.

Founded in 1973, the Boston Jazz Society is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to jazz appreciation. Through its sponsorship of scholarships, lectures, seminars, concerts, and tributes, it promotes jazz education and assists in performances and fund-raisers for other social, cultural, and education groups.

The Codman Square, Hyde Park, and South Boston branches are part of the Boston Public Library (BPL). The BPL, established in 1848, was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, and the first library to allow people to borrow books and materials, a truly revolutionary concept at the time. Today, the BPL has more than 6 million books and serves more than 2 million people annually in its 27 branch libraries around the city.

Established in 1945, Berklee College of Music is the world’s largest independent music college. Over 3,400 students and more than 450 faculty members interact in an environment designed to provide the most complete learning experience possible, including all of the opportunities and challenges presented by a career in the contemporary music industry. More than a college, Berklee has become the world's singular learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.

Media, for more information,

Emily Singer, Publicist, Office of Public Information
Berklee College of Music
(617) 747-2567
esinger@berklee.edu