Dear California Jazz Conservatory Community,

We hope this message finds you faring well and enjoying your summer. Today we are writing to update you on the California Jazz Conservatory’s evolution, including what we have determined to be the next phase of CJC’s growth and development as a leader in jazz education.

To begin, we share the unfortunate news that due to ongoing low enrollment in our Bachelor of Music and Associate of Arts programs, we will be discontinuing these degree programs after the conclusion of the Fall 2024 semester. The decision to conclude this element of CJC’s academic offerings was made after careful deliberation by our Board of Directors, including an exhaustive review of options given our financial realities.

You may know that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many college degree programs have continued to experience unprecedented challenges, including significantly decreased enrollment and financial constraints. Unfortunately, this is also the case with our Jazz Studies degree program. We are now working on negotiating agreements so that our degree program students may continue their studies at other accredited institutions beginning next year. We will do everything in our power to ensure a smooth transition by discussing these changes with institutions that have comparable educational programs.

At the same time, the promising note we want to underscore is that enrollment in our cornerstone, the Jazzschool Community Music School, is rebounding – serving more than 1,000 students per year and growing. Over the course of the Jazzschool’s history, we have proudly welcomed more than 14,000 students. We remain optimistic that this vibrant community is where we will continue to see growth and fulfill our mission, providing a diverse range of courses, ensembles, and workshop offerings as we have for the past 27 years – including our intention to invest, with the support of our community and generous donors, even more broadly in community outreach in order to deepen our impact.

We trust that you share our admiration for CJC’s 74 talented Jazz Studies graduates as well as our gratitude for CJC’s founder, Susan Muscarella, and the impressive faculty, staff, and friends who have led and supported the degree program over the years.

Thank you for your dedication to and generous support of the California Jazz Conservatory. With unwavering commitment to our institution and what it represents for the future of jazz education and performance, we look forward to even brighter days ahead.

Sincerely,

Nick Phillips
President
California Jazz Conservatory

Gordon C. Brooks
Chair, Board of Directors
California Jazz Conservatory