Naptown Jazz Kids

08/17/2026

07/28/2026

We are proud to announce our 2026 Strategic Impact Grantees!
Annapolis Symphony Orchestra
Historic Annapolis
Kunta Kinte Celebrations Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation, Inc.
Naptown Jazz Kids
The Ballet Theatre of Maryland
The Talent Machine Company

The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County (ACAAC) has allocated funds for a Strategic Impact Grant (SIG). This funding opportunity is designed to fund capacity-building projects that result in substantive organizational transformation, taking the organization’s operations or performance to the next level.

This grant reflects a core belief at the Arts Council: a thriving arts community depends on strong, resilient organizations. The 2026 Strategic Impact awards total $131,500 and serve as a direct investment in the future of our arts community.

Anne Arundel County Government The City of Annapolis

07/18/2026

🎷 What an unforgettable week at Naptown Jazz Kids Summer Camp!

As we reflect on an amazing week together, our hearts are full of gratitude. From our first rehearsal to our final performance at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, our campers embraced every opportunity to learn, grow, and make music together.

In just five days, our students rehearsed and performed 16 big band charts, participated in Jazz Appreciation, Jazz Theory, improvisation classes, sectionals, and daily big band rehearsals. They challenged themselves, encouraged one another, and made incredible musical progress throughout the week.

We were honored to welcome an outstanding lineup of guest artists who inspired our students in so many ways:

🎺 The Phil Butts Legacy Big Band joined our campers for a side-by-side sight-reading session, continuing the legacy of one of Maryland’s greatest jazz educators.

🎷 The Chesapeake Saxophone Ensemble captivated our students with a performance celebrating the music of Charlie Parker.

🎤 Hailey Brinnel and her quartet from Philadelphia closed out our guest artist series with an inspiring performance and discussion, sharing the artistry, creativity, and joy of a life in jazz.

During Jazz Appreciation, our students explored four of the most influential albums ever recorded, all released during the historic year of 1959: Kind of Blue, Time Out, Mingus Ah Um, and The Shape of Jazz to Come. These discussions helped our campers better understand the innovation and enduring impact of America’s original art form.

The week culminated with an unforgettable performance at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Watching these young musicians perform with confidence, professionalism, and joy was a proud moment for all of us.

As we celebrate our seventh year as a community-based organization and prepare to begin our eighth season this fall, we’re reminded how special this program truly is. Naptown Jazz Kids proudly serves students from more than a dozen schools throughout Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and surrounding communities. That diversity is one of our greatest strengths, bringing together young musicians who share a common passion for jazz.

Above all, our students come first. Their safety, well-being, and musical development are at the heart of everything we do. We also believe that school comes first. We encourage every student to remain active in their school music program while balancing academics, athletics, theater, and other activities. One of the things that makes Naptown Jazz Kids unique is our flexibility, allowing students to pursue all of their passions while continuing to grow as jazz musicians.

Thank you to our incredible faculty, guest artists, volunteers, parents, and supporters who made this week possible. We are especially grateful to Mrs. Cicale for capturing so many wonderful moments from our Smithsonian performance.

Most of all, thank you to our amazing campers. Your enthusiasm, dedication, and love of music made this one of our best camps yet.

07/17/2026

https://americanhistory.si.edu/events/calendar/naptown-jazz-kids-performance

Join us for an exciting daytime performance as the Naptown Jazz Kids take the stage to showcase the dynamic energy, creativity, and passion of young jazz musicians. Youth jazz bands are vital to the preservation of this uniquely American art form, ensuring a new generation embraces jazz as a li...

07/16/2026

🎷 What an incredible Day 4 at Naptown Jazz Kids Summer Camp!

Today was filled with great music, learning, and inspiration as our campers continued to grow through Jazz Theory, Jazz Appreciation, and two productive big band rehearsals in preparation for tomorrow’s performance.

The highlight of the day was an outstanding concert by Hailey Brinnel and her quartet from Philadelphia. Hailey, an acclaimed vocalist, trombonist, recording artist, and educator, shared her incredible artistry with our students while offering insight into the creativity, communication, and joy that make jazz so special. It was a memorable performance that left our campers inspired and excited for the future.

Now it’s time for the grand finale!

🎶 Join us tomorrow at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History as our Naptown Jazz Kids campers take the stage to showcase everything they’ve worked on this week. If you’re in the Washington, D.C., area, we’d love to have you come out and support these outstanding young musicians!

We can’t wait to celebrate an amazing week of jazz together! 🎷🎺🥁

07/15/2026

🎷 Day 3 at Naptown Jazz Kids Summer Camp!

Another incredible day of learning, listening, and making music together!

Today’s featured guest artists were Bruce Coats and the Chesapeake Saxophone Ensemble, who treated our campers to a fantastic performance celebrating the music of the legendary Charlie Parker. Their artistry and passion inspired our students and gave them a firsthand look at the power and excitement of live jazz.

Our campers also continued their work in Jazz Theory, sectionals, and big band rehearsals as they prepare for Friday’s performance at the Smithsonian.

During Jazz Appreciation, students explored two landmark recordings released in 1959 that forever changed the course of jazz: Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue and The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Time Out. Through guided listening and discussion, they discovered why these albums continue to influence musicians more than six decades later.

Tomorrow, we’re excited to welcome Hailey Brinnel, a nationally recognized vocalist, trombonist, recording artist, and educator from Philadelphia. Hailey has performed with many of today’s leading jazz artists and has appeared at major festivals and concert venues throughout the country. As both an accomplished performer and dedicated educator, she brings a wealth of experience and an inspiring musical voice that we’re thrilled to share with our campers.

A huge thank you to our outstanding faculty and staff for their energy, dedication, and commitment to our students throughout the week. Their passion for teaching and mentoring is what makes this camp such a special experience.

We’re looking forward to another amazing day of music tomorrow and an exciting finale as our campers prepare to perform at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Friday! 🎶🎷

07/14/2026

🎷 Day 2 at Naptown Jazz Kids Summer Camp was one to remember!

Today was filled with outstanding music-making, learning, and inspiration.

Our campers started the day with big band rehearsal, followed by Jazz Appreciation, where they explored the art of improvisation. A special thank you to Mike Tayman for leading a terrific session that challenged students to think creatively and listen deeply.

The students then broke into smaller groups for Jazz Theory and sectional rehearsals, allowing for individualized instruction and focused work on their music. It was exciting to see the growth taking place in every room!

The highlight of the day was our side-by-side sight-reading session with the Phil Butts Legacy Big Band. Phil Butts built one of the nation’s premier high school jazz programs during his more than 40 years at Arundel High School, leading the only Maryland band ever selected as a finalist for the prestigious Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition in New York City.

Today, members of the Phil Butts Legacy Big Band—professional musicians and many retired Anne Arundel County music educators—performed alongside our Young Lions and Jazz Ambassadors. Together they brought the music of Duke Ellington, Duke Pearson, and Count Basie to life while sharing their knowledge, encouragement, and love of jazz with the next generation.

What an incredible day of mentorship, history, and music!

Thank you to everyone who helped make today so special. We can’t wait for Day 3! 🎶

07/13/2026

🎷 What an incredible first day of the 2026 Naptown Jazz Kids Summer Camp!

We loved welcoming our campers this morning and watching them jump right into making music together. Day one included our camp photo, placement auditions, big band rehearsals, and a faculty recital. The energy, enthusiasm, and focus from every student made for an outstanding start to the week!

Tomorrow we’re looking forward to Jazz Appreciation, Jazz Theory, big band rehearsals, small group classes, and one of our favorite camp traditions—a side-by-side sight-reading session with the Anne Arundel County Teacher Big Band. It’s always inspiring for our young musicians to perform alongside local music educators.

Thank you to all of our families for your continued support and for trusting us with your young musicians. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the week has in store!