Welcome to IAJE-Wisconsin!

Matt Buchman

Welcome to the home page of the

Wisconsin Unit of

The International Association for Jazz Education.

Congratulations to new president Mathew Buchman,
and the new officers, who assumed their duties on July 1st.

Please use the links on the above navigation bar

to get around our site.

I am proud to announce that the Wisconsin Unit of the International Association for Jazz Education was awarded "Exemplary Status" at the annual conference held last January in New York City. We were one of only 15 units in the International to receive this status and I think that speaks highly of the dedicated teachers, performers, students and entrepeneurs in our great state. We've always known that Wisconsin was at the forefront of jazz education in the United States and this award is just further proof that we are blazing the trail for other states. As I transition from president to past-president of the Wisconsin Unit, I am confident that the new "administration" will continue to forge ahead and bring new innovations in jazz education to our membership.

Congratulations to the recently elected Executive Board members, who, by way of your votes, took office on the 1st of July.
Your new Exec Board consists of:

President: Mathew Buchman
President-Elect: Marc Jimos
Past - President: Brad Curran
Vice President: Steve Zenz
Secretary: Marty Robinson
Treasurer: Mark Plummer
WSMA Honors Jazz Coordinator: Bill Dennee
WMEA Jazz Chair: Lisa Werner

Come and meet the new Board at the annual General Membership Meeting, held at the WMEA Conference in Madison. The 2007 IAJE-WI General Membership Meeting will take place on Friday morning, October 26 in the Lecture Hall at Monona Terrace at 9:15am. The Lecture Hall will be a popular place to be that morning for all the jazz folks - just before the IAJE-WI meeting is a great presentation by Antonio Garcia entitled "Cutting the Changes: Jazz Improvisation via Key Centers." Having attended this presentation at the IAJE Conference in NYC last January, I can tell you this is a valuable session for all of you teaching improvisation in your programs. The General Meeting will be immediately followed by the annual Reading Session presented collectively by IAJE-WI, WSMA and WMEA. Stick around to hear performances of the tunes on the 2007-2008 Music Festival List (Event 1081 - Jazz Ensemble.) That session will end just in time for you to head down the hall and hear the 2007 WSMA High School State Honors Jazz Band under the Direction of Brent Wallarab (11:30-12:30 in the Madison Ballroom.)

There are a number of other jazz related sessions at this year's conference, click here to view the entire conference program in PDF format.
Be sure to stop by the IAJE-WI display booth (#1317) in the exhibit hall and say hi to your Exec Board members, we look forward to chatting with you about the state of jazz in the State of Wisconsin. Remember, we're here to assist YOU in teaching this great American artform to upcoming generations. See you in Madison!!