Jazz & Contemporary Music

WCM's storied Jazz & Contemporary Music program honors the rich legacy of American jazz while embracing the sounds of today. School-aged students can explore or refine their skills within the genre, and adult students will also find opportunities for collaboration with other passionate musicians. Thanks to our partnership with the Manty Ellis Community Foundation and WCM's expert faculty, no one needs to leave Milwaukee to receive a world-class jazz education!

The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music is proud to announce a new partnership with the Manty Ellis Community Foundation (MECF)—expanding access to jazz education and celebrating the enduring legacy of jazz guitarist Manty Ellis—a pioneering guitarist, educator, and advocate who co-founded WCM’s original jazz program in the early 1970s. Widely regarded as the godfather of Milwaukee jazz, Manty helped shape generations of musicians and paved the way for jazz to thrive in our city.

Through quarterly concerts, student-artist collaborations, and year-round educational programming, the WCM–MECF partnership aims to ensure that every young musician no matter their zip code has access to world-class jazz instruction.