The Mondavi Center is taking applications for the third year of its Mondavi Center SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Program. The program, which was recently recommended for a $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts Art Works grant, is accepting applications through Aug. 30 at www.mondaviarts.org/jazzallstars.

The High School All-Stars program provides advanced training for serious jazz students through rehearsals, clinics and master classes with jazz professionals and performance opportunities and includes two separate programs:

* The High School All-Stars, an eight-person ensemble of the Sacramento region’s most talented high school musicians; and

* The all-new Improv Academy, consisting of monthly workshops focused on presenting concepts of improvisation and developmental skills to dedicated students.

Applicants may elect to apply to either the All-Stars or the Improv Academy, or to both. Those applying for the All-Stars may be selected for the Improv Academy at the discretion of the Mondavi Center.

Both programs are under the direction of Mike McMullen, a jazz studies faculty member at Sacramento State and the founding member of the Sacramento-based Capital Jazz Project.

“While prior improvisational experience is not required for the Improv Academy, applicants should have good tone, read well, have strong mechanical skills and knowledge of scales,” McMullen says. “The clinics will cover concept and style, interactions within the group, harmony, ear training, rhythm, mechanical skills and listening.”

Adds Jeremy Ganter, associate executive director and director of programming for the Mondavi Center, “In addition to our role as a major presenter of jazz, we are working hard to become a critical training ground for young players, and the All-Stars represent another big step in that direction.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by the NEA for this program, and feel very fortunate to be able to support the wealth of young talent and extraordinary jazz educators in our region.”

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