Over 2000 children across Derry and Strabane will get into the swing ahead if this year’s festival and receive a fun and funky ‘taste of jazz’ with Live Music Now’s schools programme in the run-up to the 2023 festival.

Between March and May, pupils at 15 primary schools will experience interactive jazz taster performances in their school hall, delivered by renowned jazz pianist John Leighton and singer / saxophonist Meilana Gillard as well as acclaimed local singer Victoria Geelan and pianist Neil Burns

All four musicians are familiar faces on the Northern Irish jazz scene and these short performances are interactive and fun, including familiar jazz standards, and are a perfect introduction to jazz for young people.

Since 2017 Live Music Now has reached over 9000 children through the Derry Jazz Festival’s outreach programme, with a rapturous response from pupils and teachers alike. In the 2022 programme, one child commented “This music has made my day! They are so cool.”

Live Music Now is the leading outreach and musicians’ development charity, which places musicians in a range of education, community and healthcare settings.

For more information of for your school to register interest please email alice.lewis@livemusicnow.org.uk