About Us
Vision + Mission + Values
Vision
The Guelph Jazz Festival presents innovative jazz and creative improvised music and fosters alternative ways of seeing and hearing the world.
Mission
As one of Canada's most influential music festivals, the Guelph Jazz Festival is committed to providing opportunities for all people to be excited by and engaged in improvisational jazz and experimental music. To fulfill this mission, the Festival strives to commission, produce, and present unique performances reflecting the highest standards of excellence and diversity indicative of the world in which we live, and to make these performances accessible to the broadest possible audience through an annual festival and a year-round program that includes educational programs, concerts and special events.
Values
Volunteers
We value our volunteers, their leadership qualities, their vision and the skills that contribute to achieving the Festival's goals.
Community
We believe improvisational jazz and experimental music has power to build alternative visions of community and social cooperation.
Educational Opportunities
We value the positive life-changing educational experiences that often occur outside regular curriculum. We view improvisational jazz as an essential aspect of education as it supports higher learning and equips children and teenagers and adults with skills of creative thinking, problem solving and communication: skills that are critical in today's workplace .
Diversity
We believe cultural diversity and a diversity of opinion, expertise and experience is critical to building a vibrant and prosperous organization.
Innovation
We value innovation both in the music we present and in how it is presented.
Philanthropy
We believe that community giving supports excellence in arts education while meeting the needs of donors. We encourage legacy gifts and bequests to support jazz education in perpetuity.
Community Partnerships
We value and actively cultivate partnerships with community businesses and organizations to advance the mutual interest of building and supporting community.
Colloquium Keynote: Deborah Wong
Ethnomusicologist Deborah Wong is a respected author, Professor of Music, and performer specializing in the musics of Asian America and Thailand. A member of Satori Daiko (Taiko Center of Los Angeles) and author of 2004's Speak It Louder: Asian Americans Making Music, Wong is also a keynote speaker and course facilitator of the inaugural Summer Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation. Her keynote address is entitled, "Improvisation in American Taiko."
Friday Sept. 5, 9:00 - 10:00am
Macdonald Stewart Art Centre (Free)
