Operating in the Bay Area since 2000, it is School of The Getdown's mission to celebrate and promote Black music and to share these cultural traditions with diverse Bay Area communities through performance and educational programs, with particular attention towards youth and the Black community.  

 

School of The Getdown offers a vocal workshop series; private lessons in singing, instrumental music, and music history; lecture performances in schools and camps; masterclasses with visiting artists; an annual summer Youth Arts Camp; an after-school 10-Week Intensive youth arts program, and partnerships with community organizations. We produce multicultural and intergenerational concert series, festivals, free community programming, commissioned artistic works, and thematic programming celebrating Black history and Black culture.

 

School of The Getdown is led by Founder and Executive Director Faye Carol and Program Producer Joe Warner and includes a committed Advisory Board, adjunct artists, and a strong event production team. 

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"Faye Carol & her dedicated accompanist, pianist Joe Warner, have presented ambitious programs that rival any of the leading jazz festivals." - Andrew Gilbert, San Jose Mercury News

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Recent Programming:

​5th Annual Black Women's Roots Festival

12-Week Youth Arts Intensive

3rd Annual School of The Getdown Youth Arts Camp

4th Annual Black Music Month Festival

Black Bay Area Artists: Icons & Unsung Commissioned Artistic Work

Black History Month Lecture Perfomances for Public Schools

The Funky Latin Getdown Commissioned Artistic Work

Handful of Keys Free Piano Masterclass Series

Carolizing Christmas Commissioned Artistic WorkThe Great Saxophone Summit Concert

Women in Jazz & Blues Commissioned Artistic Work 

Give The Drummer Some Free Drum Masterclass Series

Saxophones Colossus Free Sax Masterclass Series

Black Music Through The Ages Commissioned Artistic Work

Groovin' High Free Drum Masterclass Series

Blues, Baroque, & Bars Commissioned Artistic Work & Free Community Concerts

Oakland Black Generations Festival

Faye & The Folks Concert Series

Black Women's Blues Festival

Give The Drummer Some Concert Series

Bernard Purdie Masterclass

School of The Getdown Vocal Intensive with Faye Carol

Celebrating Black LGBTQ+ Musical Pioneers Commissioned Artistic Work

Celebrating East Bay's Black Musical Heritage Free Community Concert

Laughs, Lyrics, and Rhymes for COVID Times full-length interdisciplinary film

100 Years of Black Music Commissioned Artistic Work

Black History Month livestream musical programs reaching over 30,000 Bay Area youth.