Dear Friend of Oaktown Jazz Workshops,

It is thanks to you that we enter 2019 with the momentum of a successful year and over two decades of providing year-round music education and presentations for young people.

This year Oaktown Jazz Workshops’ young musicians attended 140 ensemble workshops and performed at dozens of community events across the San Francisco Bay Area. Our instructors conducted over 50 music clinics at public schools and we continue to produce family-friendly concerts at our venue in Jack London Square, Oakland.

At the core of our organization are afterschool classes and workshops where young musicians learn to perform together as a group directly from professional musicians dedicated to helping youth develop their talents.

Many of Oaktown Jazz Workshops alumni are now widely recognized as some of the new exciting voices in jazz. Our Founding Director, Khalil Shaheed, was very proud of their musical accomplishments and also proud of how OJW was able to teach youth important life skills far beyond performing music.

Six years ago we launched the Khalil Shaheed Scholarship Fund to cover the cost of our workshops for young musicians whose families could not otherwise afford tuition. This fund has been absolutely critical in supporting local young people seeking opportunities for creative expression and artistic development.

Your support, in whatever amount you can manage, will encourage our children’s creativity, elevate music education and appreciation, and enrich our community.

Sincerely,

Ravi Abcarian
Executive Director