Jazz Power Youth Workshop’s 2026-2027 Season
5th – 10th graders, auditions are now open for the Jazz Power Youth Workshop’s 2026 – 2027 season!
Jazz Power Youth Workshop for middle and high school students provides highly individualized training in singing, theatre, movement, piano and percussion in diverse and culturally aware environments, to build confidence, creativity, and community through immersion in jazz arts.
Make friends with jazz and in jazz in this FREE, nationally recognized jazz program! Immerse yourself in jazz culture through high quality private and group lessons with experienced teachers. Current 5th–10th graders of all experience levels are welcome to sign up to audition for this award winning, year-round afterschool performing arts program.
Private and group lessons in the fall and winter help students build skills and confidence to perform a fully staged production of a Jazz Power Musical in the spring at a professional theater, accompanied by some of New York City’s top jazz and blues musicians.
Jazz Power Initiative (JPI) Youth Workshop is led by:
Dr. Eli Yamin, aka “Dr. E”, Managing & Artistic Director
Antoinette Montague, Senior Voice Teacher
Kena Onyejekwe, Senior Theatre Teacher
Ages:
5th–10th grades
Audition dates:
June 18th, 2026 4:30 – 7:00 p.m.
June 27th, 2026 11:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Where do Auditions take place?
Jazz Power Initiative, Suite 645, 6th floor, NY, NY, 10034.
What to expect on Open Audition day?
*10 min. Audition
*Sing one song of your choice. (you can bring a track if needed)
*Act a paragraph of an acting scene that will be emailed to you upon registration for auditions. (We will have a copy of this on site).
What happens after the audition?
Upon successful completion of the audition, students are invited for the family interview.
How do you enroll in the Jazz Power Youth Workshop?
After successful completion of the audition and family interview, students are invited to enroll in the 28-week Jazz Power Youth Workshop (Oct.-June) for a one time registration fee of $50.00. Reduced fee waivers are available upon request. The full value of this program is over $2500.
What is the location and schedule of the Jazz Power Youth Workshop 2026-2027?
- Location for private and group lessons: The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante, 206th and 10th Avenue, Inwood, NYC
- Fall/Winter Training – 14 weeks, starting in October, 2026
Twice a week;
Wednesdays – group lessons, from 4-6:30pm.
Saturday – Jazz Power Fundamentals 12-2 with private lessons at assigned times. - Additional private lessons as assigned on Tuesdays 4-7.
- Jazz Power Musical – 14 weeks, starting in February 2027
1-2 times per week - Wednesdays everyone, 4-7pm;
Tuesdays principals only – 4:00-6:00 pm - Saturday rehearsals in May and June
**Schedule subject to change**
What will you learn in the Jazz Power Youth Workshop?
African American and Latino cultural foundations of jazz arts guide our process, including the models of excellence we provide the children, the background of our faculty, the repertoire we select, the communities we serve, and the “Jazz Power Tools” we teach such as improvisation, making a soulful sound, call and response, syncopation, and swing. Students are given ongoing opportunities to perform with professional artists and present their talents in a wide variety of venues including presentations of Jazz Power Musicals for youth performers.
Our culturally relevant pedagogy increases artistic and social emotional skills and is in alignment with New York City, State and National arts learning standards, as well as best voice practices published by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).
Our voice pedagogy cultivates awareness of voice function for healthy, expressive and free singing in African American singing traditions that form the foundation of many styles of American singing: including jazz, blues, gospel, R & B, rock, pop, and country. Our dance pedagogy uses African American dance traditions to increase kinesthetic, spatial, and musical awareness, and our theatre pedagogy explores key questions for the actor in a scene in support of internalizing lyrics of Jazz Power songs as well as basic stage directions.
Our holistic, cross-cultural, and multidisciplinary approach to jazz music and arts education activates an inclusive atmosphere that fosters teamwork, self-discipline and creative expression.
Who supports the Jazz Power Youth Workshop?
Support for our program comes from the National Endowment from the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, the Miranda Family Fund with the Hispanic Federation, the Common Sense Fund, the Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation, the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, and individual donors.
Who are the students of Jazz Power Initiative?
The Jazz Power Youth Workshop is open to 25-30 highly motivated middle school and high school students from diverse backgrounds and provides up to 130 hours of direct instruction to these students as well as consistent performance opportunities with professional musicians. Our community centered recruitment strategy ensures that we reach a majority of underserved African American and Latin American students with our highly individualized, tuition-free, year round training.
What is the impact of Jazz Power Youth?
Over 70% of JPI students who apply to NYC specialized arts high schools gain admission including highly competitive programs at Professional Performing Arts High School and LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Additionally, JPI helps students pursue college; gaining admission and financial support to attend prestigious music, music business, theatre and musical theatre programs at NYU, City College of New York, and American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).
JPI’s in-school assemblies magnify JPI’s impact in our community by introducing over 1000 children uptown and in the Bronx to jazz and Jazz Power Initiative each year. Our in-school residencies provide multi-week, direct instruction to over 250 students at our partner schools.
What is Zah! Youth Ensemble?
Students who maintain exceptional motivation and artistry in Jazz Power Youth Workshop are invited to audition for Zah!, our advanced youth ensemble that rehearses weekly and performs frequently throughout the year with seasoned professionals. Past performances include We Got That Swing! At Harlem School of the Arts, Dance Theatre of Harlem Community Showcase, the Manhattan Borough President’s State of the Borough Address at the Danny Kaye Playhouse, the Clean Energy Inaugural Ball for President Joe Biden and Vice President, Kamala Harris, The United Palace in Washington Heights, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club, JazzMobile/Summerfest at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, as well as Jazz Power Initiative’s Intergenerational Jazz Power Jam at National Jazz Museum in Harlem and Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center, and Jazz Power Uptown! festival in Inwood Hill Park.
Jazz Power 2025 – 2026 Season
Fall Training
is an 8 week multidisciplinary program in singing, acting, piano musicianship and movement with group classes on Thursdays after school and private lessons on Saturdays. Our voice pedagogy cultivates awareness of voice function for healthy, expressive and free singing in African American singing traditions from the foundation of many styles of American singing; including jazz, blues, gospel, R&B, rock, pop, and country. Our theater pedagogy uses holistic body, mind and spirit methodology and a variety of socially conscious literature to train youth in diction, articulation, moment to moment acting and breath work. Piano keyboard musicianship provides basic orientation to the keyboard, location of pitches, intervals, triads, 7th chords and an introduction to reading notation. The fall program looks to enrich the student’s learning experience with one-to-one educational prep with private lessons in voice and piano.
Spring Jazz Musical
The Jazz Power Musical is a 14-week multidisciplinary experience in singing, acting, and movement that culminates in a staged performance of an original Jazz Power musical. Rehearsals are Thursdays after school and some weekends leading up to the show.
The Jazz Power musical for 2026 will be “Nora’s Ark” by Eli Yamin and Clifford Carlson.
What is the schedule of the Jazz Power Youth program 2025-2026?
- Fall Training – 8 weeks, starting on Thursday, October 9th, 2025
Twice a week;
Thursday – group lessons, from 4-6:30pm.
Saturday – private lessons, slots will be assigned.
Location: TBD - Spring Jazz Musical – 14 weeks, starting on Thursday, February 12th, 2026
Once a week;
Thursdays, 4-7pm @ ACTS, Inwood Library
Tuesdays principals – 4:00-6:00 pm snacks @ 5030 Broadway, JPI Studio & Cast rehearsal study group online 4:30-5:30 p.m
Weekend rehearsal (Saturdays) in May and June
**Schedule subject to change**
**Elective season – Winter program is a 6-weeks of optional continued weekly working on your singing, acting skills and piano skills; starting on January 10th, 2025
Once a week;
Location: TBD.
**This program has a separate registration from the Jazz Power Youth year-round registration.
OUR TEACHING ARTISTS
Dr. Eli Yamin – Managing and Artistic Director
Dr. Eli Yamin is an award-winning pianist, composer, singer, producer, and educator, and the co-founder and Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz Power Initiative. With over 30 years of experience, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, the White House, and in more than 20 countries as a U.S. cultural ambassador. He has published three jazz musicals, eight albums, and a book, while reaching millions through his educational videos and workshops.
Kena Onyejekwe – Theatre and movement
Kena Onyejekwe is a theatre teacher, director, actor, and musician whose work spans stage, film, and music. His credits include co-writing and performing on the album WE ARE by Stylophonic and acting in productions such as Marley and To Kill a Mockingbird. An NYU Tisch graduate, Onyejekwe has spent the past 15 years developing and leading theatre programs across New York City.
Antoinette Montague – Senior Voice Teacher
Antoinette Montague is a powerful jazz vocalist praised by JazzTimes as “a genuine jazz singer… as real as they come.” Mentored by Etta Jones and Carrie Smith, she has performed with renowned artists such as Frank Foster, Bobby Sanabria, and Mulgrew Miller. A passionate educator and advocate, Montague teaches underserved communities, hosts the radio show Jazz Woman to the Rescue, and leads a foundation that donates instruments to youth.
Sofía Tosello – Voice
Originally from Córdoba, Argentina, Sofía Tosello is a vocalist and educator who has been based in New York City for over 23 years. Her work blends Latin American song traditions such as tango, chacarera, and bossa nova with a cross-cultural approach that defies genre boundaries. A faculty member at Jazz Power Initiative, Tosello also teaches at New Jersey City University and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s WeBop program.
John Austria – Piano
Born and raised in New York City, jazz pianist and educator John Austria has performed with acclaimed ensembles including the Sonny Simmons Quintet and the Michael Marcus Quartet. He has shared the stage with legends like Branford Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, and Wynton Marsalis, and studied with culture bearers such as Barry Harris. Since 2010, he has taught piano at the New York Jazz Workshop and co-founded the Jazz and Afro-Latin Big Band at Upbeat NYC.
D’Asia Brunson – Theatre Director Assistant
D’Asia Brunson is a multidisciplinary theatre artist and creative professional recognized for her collaborative spirit and creative versatility. A graduate of Kean University with a B.A. in Theatre, she has served as a community liaison and stage manager with the Affirmation Theatre Company and WOW Café Theatre, championing Black, femm, and disabled artists. Her artistry extends to film—her makeup and performance work were featured in the award-nominated short In a Time of Jewels (2022).
Maki Nientao – Piano
Maki Nientao is a Harlem-born jazz pianist and educator raised in Washington Heights, whose musical journey began with classical piano lessons from his grandfather. A dynamic performer featured at venues like Dizzy’s Club, Smalls, and Minton’s Playhouse, he is also dedicated to nurturing young musicians through his work with Jazz Power Initiative’s educational programs.
Lisa LaTouche – Tap Dance and African American Dance History and Culture
Lisa La Touche is a Canadian-born, New York–based tap dancer, choreographer, educator, and cultural historian whose credits include Broadway’s Shuffle Along, for which she earned both the Fred Astaire and Actor’s Equity Awards. She leads her company Tap Phonics and has presented work at major institutions like The Brooklyn Museum and Fall for Dance North. A faculty member at PACE and Marymount Manhattan College, she continues to explore her Trinidadian heritage through her project Trinidad & Tap Dance: As Folklore and her film TRAX, while balancing her proudest role—being a mom.
This is Jazz Power Youth!
