Our Story
New York Jazz Workshop was founded in 2008 by tenor saxophonist and educator Marc Mommaas and jazz aficionado and entrepreneur Marco Chelo. They shared a simple conviction: outside of major universities and conservatories, there were far too few places where music lovers could learn from world-class instructors, play alongside others, and experience the joy of being part of a living jazz community. New York Jazz Workshop was created to fill that gap.
What began as a handful of workshops has grown into a vibrant, multi-program music school based in the heart of Manhattan. Today, New York Jazz Workshop serves thousands of students each year — from first-time players to seasoned professionals — through an ever-expanding range of programs, performances, and community events.
Our Mission
New York Jazz Workshop creates opportunities for musicians of diverse backgrounds and abilities to learn and play jazz and related forms of modern music under the guidance of a world-class faculty. We believe music education should be accessible, inspiring, and deeply communal. Whether you’re picking up an instrument for the first time or refining your craft after decades of playing, we meet you where you are and help you grow.
At its core, New York Jazz Workshop is about more than music — it’s about what music unlocks in people. Students who walk through our doors discover not just new skills, but new confidence. They learn to listen, to take creative risks, to express themselves in ways they didn’t think possible. Jazz, by its very nature, asks you to show up as yourself — and that’s a transformative experience, whether you’re sixteen or sixty. This is a place where people find their voice, their community, and a deeper connection to their own creativity.
Most of our faculty members are world-renowned musicians associated with major conservatories and universities such as NYU, The New School, Columbia University, Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard.
What We Offer
Weekly Workshops
Our weekly workshops are the heart of the NYJW experience. We offer groups for all levels and interests: big band, theory and improvisation, bebop, hard bop, jazz standards, woodwind ensembles, vocal classes, choir, mixed meter, blues, Brazilian ensemble, and much more.
Online Courses
Structured online courses in composition and analysis, counterpoint, ear training, and music theory. These trimester-length courses have a clear beginning and end, and are taught by top professionals in a live, synchronous format — accessible to students anywhere in the world.
Teen Programs
Dedicated programming for teen musicians, including spring break and summer jazz camps. Our teen programs give young players the chance to study with professional artists, develop their musicianship, and connect with peers who share their passion.
Private Lessons
Private instruction for students of all ages and skill levels, both in person and online. Our roster includes teachers for all instruments, voice, and major jazz disciplines including theory, improvisation, composition, arranging, and rhythm.
Vocal Programs
From group workshops and vocal ensembles to private coaching and multi-week performance courses, our vocal faculty offers pathways for singers at every level — whether you’re exploring your voice for the first time or preparing for professional performance.
Summer Intensives
Multi-day intensives in New York City covering jazz improvisation, bebop, guitar, vocals, piano, Brazilian music, and more. Each intensive can be taken solo or combined with others and private lessons for a fully immersive experience in the jazz capital of the world.
Concerts & Live Events
Our Manhattan studio hosts a monthly faculty concert series, student recitals, and jam sessions. Our students also take the stage at iconic New York City venues — giving the community a chance to experience live jazz up close and putting our learners in the spotlight.
International Programs
We organize international music workshops and immersive experiences in Italy, Brazil, and Japan, giving students the chance to study, perform, and connect with musicians and cultures around the world. Now in its eighth year, our Italy program is a cornerstone of our international offerings.
Master Classes
We periodically host free master classes with major artists, offering intimate, high-level learning experiences open to the entire community. Past topics have included twelve-tone approaches in jazz, rhythm for non-drummers, essential jazz listening, and world rhythms.
Outreach & Community Partnerships
We collaborate with universities, corporations, and other organizations to promote jazz and improvised music. Through our partnership with the New York Music Institute (NYMI), we host a free monthly improvisation workshop open to the entire community.
Team Building & Leadership Development
Custom-designed workshops use music as a tool for communication, creativity, and connection. Led by some of New York’s finest jazz musicians and facilitators. No music experience required. Clients have included GE, Nike, Notion, Thomson Reuters, Swiss Re, and many others.
Hire a Band
We provide ensembles for corporate events, private functions, and venues of all kinds. From intimate duos to large ensembles, we work with the best musicians in New York and match the right group to your occasion.
Rehearsal Studio
Our Manhattan space is available for rehearsal studio rental, offering musicians a professional, well-equipped room in the heart of the city.
Blog & Educational Resources
Our blog features interviews, educational content, and conversations with important voices in jazz. We also host the educational archive of the late jazz educator David Sharp, whose life’s work was entrusted to New York Jazz Workshop to continue inspiring students around the world.
Why New York Jazz Workshop
While there are other organizations providing music education in the New York City area, New York Jazz Workshop is the only non-university that provides this unique combination of offerings:
- A wide range of programs covering various needs, interests, and skill levels
- A faculty of master artists who are actively involved in shaping the curriculum
- The ability to learn an instrument while playing with others in an ensemble setting
- A monthly faculty concert series and regular student performance opportunities at NYC venues
- International workshops and immersive programs in Italy, Brazil, and Japan
- Dedicated teen programs including spring break and summer jazz camps
- Structured online courses in theory, composition, counterpoint, and ear training
- Team building and leadership development programs trusted by GE, Nike, Thomson Reuters, and others
- Free master classes and a free monthly improvisation workshop in partnership with the New York Music Institute
- A tightly-knit, supportive, and welcoming community that empowers musicians to find their voice
- Rehearsal studio rental in the heart of Manhattan
- Flexible enrollment options — join for a single session, use a flex pass, commit four weeks at a time, or enroll for an entire term, with payment plans available
Looking Ahead
As we look to the future, New York Jazz Workshop is committed to deepening everything that makes us special: the quality of our teaching, the richness of our community, and the reach of our programs. We are expanding our concert programming, growing our international offerings, developing new pathways for online learning, and continuing to build a space where musicians of every background can find their voice, their people, and their sound.
Eighteen years ago, Marc and Marco set out to create a place where the spirit of jazz — the listening, the risk-taking, the joy of creating something together — could be shared with anyone willing to walk through the door. That’s still what we do, every single day.
New York Jazz Workshop
265 West 37th Street, New York, NY
newyorkjazzworkshop.com