New Orleans musicians performing on trombone, trumpet, saxophone and drums on a wood-panelled stage

A cultural & educational nonprofit

Preserving the legacy. Advancing the future.

Connecting the world through jazz. The New Orleans Jazz Institute preserves, promotes, and advances the music and culture of New Orleans Jazz through education, performance, and international exchange.

Explore Our Programs International Exchanges

About NOJI

Jazz is more than music. It is history, identity, and connection.

The New Orleans Jazz Institute (NOJI) is a cultural and educational nonprofit dedicated to preserving, promoting, and advancing the music and culture of New Orleans Jazz.

At NOJI, we honor the origins of Jazz while creating pathways for the next generation of artists and audiences. Through education, performance, and global cultural exchange, we ensure that New Orleans Jazz remains vibrant, relevant, and deeply connected to the communities that gave it life.

Education

From first exposure in public school classrooms to advanced training and university collaborations.

Performance

Professional concerts and recordings led by master artists of New Orleans, including the Grammy-winning New Orleans Jazz Orchestra.

Exchange

Festivals, residencies, and partnerships that carry New Orleans Jazz to Europe and West Africa, and bring the world back to New Orleans.

Adonis Rose speaking to an audience from the stage

Founder’s Statement

Responsibility and love

The New Orleans Jazz Institute was created out of both responsibility and love: responsibility to the culture that raised me, and love for a music that has shaped my life as an artist, educator, and cultural ambassador.

Jazz was born in New Orleans as a community tradition. It was passed down through neighborhoods, families, social halls, churches, and second lines. It was never meant to be frozen in time. It was meant to grow, to travel, and to speak honestly about who we are.

NOJI exists to ensure that connection remains intact. Through education, professional performance, and international cultural exchange, the Institute supports young musicians, honors master artists, and builds meaningful partnerships that reflect the global impact of New Orleans Jazz, without losing sight of its origins.

This work is about legacy, but it is equally about the future. NOJI is committed to creating opportunities, preserving cultural truth, and advancing Jazz as a living art form for generations to come.

Adonis Rose Founder, New Orleans Jazz Institute

Programs

Every stage of a musician’s life

NOJI Programs provide educational opportunities for students at every stage of development, from early exposure in public schools to advanced training for young artists and university-level collaborations. They are designed to preserve the traditions of New Orleans jazz while preparing the next generation of musicians to carry the music forward.

Students in school uniforms seated in a theater, listening to a performance

Public schools

Jazz in the Schools

The Jazz in the Schools Program brings professional New Orleans musicians directly into public schools to introduce students to the history, artistry, and cultural importance of jazz. Through live performances, demonstrations, and interactive discussions, students experience the music in a way that connects them to the rich cultural traditions of New Orleans and the African Diaspora.

Musicians share their personal journeys, discuss the discipline and creativity required to pursue a career in the arts, and demonstrate the fundamentals of improvisation, rhythm, and ensemble playing. By placing professional artists in classrooms, the program strengthens arts education and inspires young musicians.

Young vocalists sharing a microphone with professional horn players on stage

Young artists

NOJI Youth Ensemble

The NOJI Youth Ensemble gives talented young musicians the opportunity to study and perform under the mentorship of professional New Orleans artists. The ensemble focuses on strong fundamentals in improvisation, ensemble playing, rhythm, and the stylistic traditions of New Orleans jazz.

Students take part in rehearsals, workshops, and public performances while learning the cultural history behind the music. The program prepares them for college-level study, professional performance, and participation in international cultural exchange programs.

Pianist, trombonist and saxophonist rehearsing around an open grand piano

Higher education

College & University Programs

This initiative builds partnerships with higher education institutions to support jazz education through artist residencies, performances, masterclasses, and collaborative projects. Professional musicians from New Orleans work directly with university students, giving real-world insight into improvisation, ensemble leadership, composition, and the cultural foundations of jazz.

Student ensembles also perform alongside professional artists and take part in exchange opportunities connected to NOJI’s global partnerships.

A packed hall of students watching NOJI musicians and young singers perform — Jazz in the Schools: professional New Orleans musicians and student vocalists share the stage.

Flagship ensemble

New Orleans Jazz Orchestra

A Grammy Award–winning ensemble founded and directed by Adonis Rose, the orchestra brings together many of the city’s most accomplished musicians to present original compositions and innovative interpretations of the New Orleans jazz tradition.

Through concerts, recordings, and international tours, NOJO serves as a cultural ambassador for the city while providing professional opportunities for New Orleans musicians. It performs at festivals, concert halls, and educational settings around the world as part of NOJI’s international cultural exchange programs.

2010Grammy Award, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, for Book One

International Festivals & Cultural Exchanges

From New Orleans to the world

Our exchange programs connect New Orleans musicians, students, and cultural institutions with partners around the world. Through performances, workshops, and artist residencies, these collaborations promote the global influence of New Orleans jazz while creating meaningful exchange between communities.

Peccioli, Italy5,314 mi from New Orleans

Jazz Peccioli

An international jazz festival founded by Adonis Rose in partnership with the City of Peccioli. It celebrates the connection between New Orleans and Tuscany through performances, street parades, and educational programs, bringing dozens of New Orleans musicians and students to Italy each year.

Ascona, Switzerland5,145 mi from New Orleans

Jazz Ascona

One of Europe’s premier jazz festivals, long dedicated to the music and culture of New Orleans. As New Orleans Artistic Director, Adonis Rose curates programming that brings leading New Orleans musicians, ensembles, and students to Switzerland every year.

Lagos, Nigeria6,199 mi from New Orleans

Lagos Cultural Exchange

Connects musicians and educators from New Orleans with artists and students in Lagos through performances, workshops, and collaborative education, highlighting the shared cultural roots of jazz and building new collaboration between African and American musicians.

Ouidah, Benin6,128 mi from New Orleans

Vodun Jazz Festival

Celebrates the deep historical and spiritual connections between West Africa and the musical traditions of New Orleans. Performances, educational programs, and cultural ceremonies explore the shared heritage that links the African Diaspora to the origins of jazz.

New Orleans musicians performing on the Jazz Ascona main stage — Jazz Ascona, Switzerland

Vocalist in a copper gown singing with a horn section at Jazz Ascona

Tenor saxophone, trumpet and alto saxophone players reading charts on stage

Vocalist singing passionately into a microphone

Vocalist in a black shirt singing under a single spotlight

Partners holding signed agreements in front of a row of national flags

Partnerships

Building bridges across the Diaspora

Formal agreements with cities, cultural institutions, and governments turn performances into lasting relationships. Each partnership creates recurring opportunities for musicians, students, and communities in both regions to reconnect through music.

Get Involved

Keep the music moving

NOJI grows through partnership. Whether you lead a school, a university program, a festival, or simply love this music, there is a place for you in this work.

Schools

Bring Jazz in the Schools to your students with live performances and conversations with working artists.

Universities

Host a residency, masterclass, or collaborative performance with New Orleans musicians.

Festivals

Partner with NOJI to program New Orleans artists and build a lasting cultural exchange.

Supporters

Help young musicians study, perform, and travel. Your support keeps the tradition alive.

Start a conversation

Write to us about partnerships, programs, bookings, or support.

[email protected] Email NOJI