Jazz Power Institute 2026
Lehman College (CUNY), Bronx, NY
Wednesday, July 8 and Thursday, July 9, 2026
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
2026 JAZZ POWER INSTITUTE FOR ARTISTS AND EDUCATORS
Dr. Eli Yamin, Director, Antoinette Montague and Kena Onyejekwe, Co-chairs
Jazz Power Institute provides a safe and challenging learning environment for artists and educators to experience jazz arts in a holistic and personally relevant way and be better prepared to share this experience with learners on multiple levels at different points of entry. Culturally authentic teaching methods across disciplines of music, dance, theatre and writing are activated to engage a wide variety of students. Jazz Power Institute gives teachers and teaching artists tools to bring the imaginative power of jazz to the forefront of students’ experience from grades pre K-12, to college students and adult learners. Jazz Power Institute welcomes experienced teachers and teaching artists as well as college students and those new to the field to share and learn best practices in teaching jazz across disciplines of music, dance, theatre and writing.
2026 theme:
“To Be Real” – CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION THROUGH COMPOSING AND ARRANGING
Focus Questions:
How do you connect with student’s cultural and musical experience to increase engagement and inspiration in the classroom?
How do you use Jazz Power Tools in arranging and composition to nurture, guide and expand the evolution of student’s experience while increasing community appreciation?
ARTISTS
Antoinette Montague
Co-chair
Kena Onyejekwe
Co-chair
Dr. Eli Yamin
Director
