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An Evening Tribute to the Late, Great Ron Cuzner
About Ron Cuzner: Ron Cuzner passed away on March 27, 2003 at age 64. Ron was an all night jazz DJ for some 30+ years on various radio stations. His show and style were legendary; he opened each show with the phrase, "Good Evening and Welcome to the Dark Side…" Listeners knew him as someone who would introduce them to new jazz music or talk about various jazz artists and happenings. According to Ron, since the age of 13 radio and jazz were the only things he was interested in. His name is synonymous with jazz in Milwaukee. Cuzner Jazz Donation: Several months after Ron's death, his wife Janet Cuzner donated Ron's extensive jazz CD collection and jazz books to the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music - Dorothea Library.* The 10,000 CD collection ranks nationally in terms of size and scope of collection. For example, the jazz CD collection at Berklee College of Music in Boston has a 7,000 jazz CD collection. The Conservatory's jazz collection was at 1,000 CDs prior to the Cuzner donation. She donated 100 books on jazz to the Conservatory as well. Janet made the collection available to the Conservatory because she wants the CDs to be used and enjoyed. The Conservatory's library is a lending library and is heavily used by students and faculty. 17,000 items circulate annually. Limited use is available for the general public. Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Jazz Program: The Conservatory's jazz program
attracts over 250 young people from schools throughout the greater Milwaukee
area as well as adults interested in learning how to play jazz music.
The Conservatory was the first school in the country to establish a jazz
major when it launched its jazz curriculum in 1972. The school graduated
many jazz majors who went on to develop successful careers, such as Lynne
Arriale, David Hazeltine, Brian Lynch, and Bobby Johnson. After the school
discontinued its college program in 1985, the school continued its strong
jazz instruction program for young people and adults interested in studying
jazz. Last year 271 students were enrolled in the jazz program. All ten
of the current jazz faculty perform throughout the Midwest; some have
national performance and recording credits.
Links to Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel articles about the event: http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/music/jun04/233551.asp http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/music/jun04/238714.asp The jazz program today at the Conservatory provides Milwaukee area middle and high school students with an experience rarely found in school curricula. Students have opportunities for private study with jazz artists, classes with visiting national jazz artists, ensemble experiences during the school year, and an intensive two-week jazz workshop offered each June. Throughout the Conservatory's jazz curriculum, students learn the skills that will help them grow in jazz knowledge and musical abilities. Students learn how to improvise by playing in small ensembles, they learn jazz repertoire, and they learn jazz history. Establishment of the Cuzner Jazz Scholars Program: With the acceptance of the Ron Cuzner Jazz Collection, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music is establishing a fund named for Ron Cuzner to provide scholarships to students who wish to study jazz. The Cuzner Jazz Scholars Program will award merit scholarships and financial aid to students who wish to further their development in jazz. The goal for the fund is $25,000. This will be an annual fund with gifts used each year for students. This fund will help reach more students who are pursuing jazz interests. Fundraising for the Cuzner Jazz Scholars Program will kick off at the Ron Cuzner Jazz Collection dedication on Monday, June 21st. Dedication Ceremony - Ron Cuzner Jazz Collection: On Monday, June 21 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music will dedicate the Ron Cuzner Jazz Collection. The program will include remarks from the school's president; Ron's wife, Janet Cuzner; one or two close acquaintances; and a musical tribute performed by the Conservatory's Faculty Jazz Sextet. A reception and library tours will follow. Invited guests will include Ron's friends and colleagues, jazz educators and artists, media personnel from radio stations where Ron worked, jazz students, and jazz aficionados. *The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music library was named the Dorothea Library at the request of the late Dorothea Mayer, who made a significant gift to the Conservatory's recent renovation. |
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