EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Dmitri Matheny is a devoted advocate for the arts and a tireless, inspiring educator. Teaching the joys of jazz (whether to aspiring artists, audiences, adults or children) is a major focus for Dmitri both at home and on the road.
RESIDENCIES — Dmitri is known for having a unique ability to bring out the very best in aspiring young musicians. He accepts extended residencies and teaching positions on an availability basis.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT — Dmitri is the creator of Discover Jazz, an innovative jazz appreciation course for adults. Discover Jazz explores the music's colorful mythology, key figures, recordings, forms and ideas.
CLASSROOM TEACHING — Dmitri has taught youth and adult classes in jazz history and appreciation, music theory, jazz harmony, film scoring, composition, arranging, orchestration, the music business, contract negotiation, recording, publicity, marketing, e-commerce and fundraising.
FACULTY POSITIONS — Matheny's past appointments include Director of Education and Development for SFJAZZ (the largest nonprofit jazz presenter on the West Coast), Assistant Education Director for the Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Colony, Artist-In-Residence for the Siskiyou Music Project of Ashland, Oregon and the Young Musicians Program of UC Berkeley, and teaching faculty of Seattle JazzED, Seattle Jazz Night School, Stanford Jazz Workshop and the Jazzschool of Berkeley, California.
PRIVATE LESSONS — Dmitri offers private lessons via Skype to professional musicians and serious students worldwide. Lessons focus on the fundamentals of brass technique, melodic interpretation and jazz improvisation.
YOUTH CONCERTS — The Dmitri Matheny Group works with arts organizations and concert presenters to provide children in underserved communities with the experience of hearing jazz live-in-concert. Each program is tailored to the unique needs and experience level of the children, with the goal of informing, enlightening and inspiring all involved.
SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES — In partnership with community organizations including the San Francisco Symphony Adventures In Music program among others, the Dmitri Matheny Group has provided over 500 free, curriculum-based concerts in schools, serving more than 50,000 children.
JAZZ SCHOLARSHIPS — From 1999 to 2009, the Art Farmer Jazz Scholarship Fund (created by Dmitri Matheny in honor of his mentor) provided merit-based financial assistance awards to promising young students of jazz.
FAMILY CONCERTS — Dmitri's original family show The SnowCat teaches literacy and a love of the arts with an entertaining theatrical production that combines storytelling, singing, visual art and live music.
SYMPOSIA — Dmitri is frequently invited to participate in panel discussions and symposia held at music festivals and industry conferences.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS — Matheny has served as a moderator, speaker, presenter, site visitor and peer review panelist for the California Arts Council, Chamber Music America, National Endowment for the Arts and International Association of Jazz Educators.
INFORMANCES — Throughout the year, Dmitri offers clinics, lecture/demonstrations and "informances" for professional musicians and serious students of jazz. These are customized educational performances with commentary, in which Dmitri and his fellow musicians share their ideas and personal insights into the nuances of jazz performance.
MASTERCLASSES — Masterclasses provide an opportunity for student ensembles to perform excerpts from their repertoire, then receive constructive critique and evaluation. Prior to each Master Class, Dmitri meets with the ensemble director or teacher to discuss particular concepts to be discussed and reinforced. Upon the student group's completion of each performed selection, Dmitri and his musicians offer thoughtful commentary, encouraging praise and suggestions for how to strengthen the next performance.
CLINICS — As a clinician, Dmitri works with student musicians to convey key musical concepts and techniques, such as dynamics, articulation, melodic interpretation, phrasing, time-keeping, chord voicing and improvisation. Intensive clinics provide students with specialized training in a particular style or technique of performance, and may take the form of guided sectional rehearsals (for the rhythm section, brass, and/or woodwinds), or an individual coaching session focused on soloists and other key personnel.
WORKSHOPS — In association with his seasonal tours, Dmitri offers three workshops for special audiences: Melodic Mastery, a jazz improvisation workshop for aspiring musicians based on the teachings of Art Farmer; Bandleader Bootcamp, advanced training in the skills and techniques required to direct a world class jazz ensemble; and Music in the Digital Age, a business tool kit for professional musicians.
CONSULTING — Matheny provides confidential career assessment and guidance to fellow musicians and independent consulting services to leading arts organizations. As a consultant with the National Jazz Service Organization (NJSO), Matheny has advised dozens of professional musicians and has counseled a diverse roster of corporate, nonprofit and government clients on strategic planning, curriculum development and fundraising. Past and current clients include American Airlines, Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead, The Kennedy Center, Hawaii International Jazz Festival, Healdsburg Jazz Festival, the Jazzschool, Oakland Jazz Choir, Rhythmic Concepts, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Stanford Jazz Workshop, Telegraph Avenue Neighborhood Association of Berkeley, University of California Jazz Ensembles and the Young Musicians Program of UC Berkeley.
LEADERSHIP — Matheny's contributions to the field include volunteer service on various governing boards. A past president of the Berklee College of Music California Alumni Association, Dmitri has served on the San Francisco Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), the Board of Trustees of SFJAZZ, the San Francisco Jazz Organization, and the Board of Directors of Jazz in Arizona.
RESIDENCIES — Dmitri is known for having a unique ability to bring out the very best in aspiring young musicians. He accepts extended residencies and teaching positions on an availability basis.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT — Dmitri is the creator of Discover Jazz, an innovative jazz appreciation course for adults. Discover Jazz explores the music's colorful mythology, key figures, recordings, forms and ideas.
CLASSROOM TEACHING — Dmitri has taught youth and adult classes in jazz history and appreciation, music theory, jazz harmony, film scoring, composition, arranging, orchestration, the music business, contract negotiation, recording, publicity, marketing, e-commerce and fundraising.
FACULTY POSITIONS — Matheny's past appointments include Director of Education and Development for SFJAZZ (the largest nonprofit jazz presenter on the West Coast), Assistant Education Director for the Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Colony, Artist-In-Residence for the Siskiyou Music Project of Ashland, Oregon and the Young Musicians Program of UC Berkeley, and teaching faculty of Seattle JazzED, Seattle Jazz Night School, Stanford Jazz Workshop and the Jazzschool of Berkeley, California.
PRIVATE LESSONS — Dmitri offers private lessons via Skype to professional musicians and serious students worldwide. Lessons focus on the fundamentals of brass technique, melodic interpretation and jazz improvisation.
YOUTH CONCERTS — The Dmitri Matheny Group works with arts organizations and concert presenters to provide children in underserved communities with the experience of hearing jazz live-in-concert. Each program is tailored to the unique needs and experience level of the children, with the goal of informing, enlightening and inspiring all involved.
SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES — In partnership with community organizations including the San Francisco Symphony Adventures In Music program among others, the Dmitri Matheny Group has provided over 500 free, curriculum-based concerts in schools, serving more than 50,000 children.
JAZZ SCHOLARSHIPS — From 1999 to 2009, the Art Farmer Jazz Scholarship Fund (created by Dmitri Matheny in honor of his mentor) provided merit-based financial assistance awards to promising young students of jazz.
FAMILY CONCERTS — Dmitri's original family show The SnowCat teaches literacy and a love of the arts with an entertaining theatrical production that combines storytelling, singing, visual art and live music.
SYMPOSIA — Dmitri is frequently invited to participate in panel discussions and symposia held at music festivals and industry conferences.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS — Matheny has served as a moderator, speaker, presenter, site visitor and peer review panelist for the California Arts Council, Chamber Music America, National Endowment for the Arts and International Association of Jazz Educators.
INFORMANCES — Throughout the year, Dmitri offers clinics, lecture/demonstrations and "informances" for professional musicians and serious students of jazz. These are customized educational performances with commentary, in which Dmitri and his fellow musicians share their ideas and personal insights into the nuances of jazz performance.
MASTERCLASSES — Masterclasses provide an opportunity for student ensembles to perform excerpts from their repertoire, then receive constructive critique and evaluation. Prior to each Master Class, Dmitri meets with the ensemble director or teacher to discuss particular concepts to be discussed and reinforced. Upon the student group's completion of each performed selection, Dmitri and his musicians offer thoughtful commentary, encouraging praise and suggestions for how to strengthen the next performance.
CLINICS — As a clinician, Dmitri works with student musicians to convey key musical concepts and techniques, such as dynamics, articulation, melodic interpretation, phrasing, time-keeping, chord voicing and improvisation. Intensive clinics provide students with specialized training in a particular style or technique of performance, and may take the form of guided sectional rehearsals (for the rhythm section, brass, and/or woodwinds), or an individual coaching session focused on soloists and other key personnel.
WORKSHOPS — In association with his seasonal tours, Dmitri offers three workshops for special audiences: Melodic Mastery, a jazz improvisation workshop for aspiring musicians based on the teachings of Art Farmer; Bandleader Bootcamp, advanced training in the skills and techniques required to direct a world class jazz ensemble; and Music in the Digital Age, a business tool kit for professional musicians.
CONSULTING — Matheny provides confidential career assessment and guidance to fellow musicians and independent consulting services to leading arts organizations. As a consultant with the National Jazz Service Organization (NJSO), Matheny has advised dozens of professional musicians and has counseled a diverse roster of corporate, nonprofit and government clients on strategic planning, curriculum development and fundraising. Past and current clients include American Airlines, Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead, The Kennedy Center, Hawaii International Jazz Festival, Healdsburg Jazz Festival, the Jazzschool, Oakland Jazz Choir, Rhythmic Concepts, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Stanford Jazz Workshop, Telegraph Avenue Neighborhood Association of Berkeley, University of California Jazz Ensembles and the Young Musicians Program of UC Berkeley.
LEADERSHIP — Matheny's contributions to the field include volunteer service on various governing boards. A past president of the Berklee College of Music California Alumni Association, Dmitri has served on the San Francisco Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), the Board of Trustees of SFJAZZ, the San Francisco Jazz Organization, and the Board of Directors of Jazz in Arizona.