This summer, eight young musicians from New Orleans will travel across the Atlantic to showcase the sounds of their city in the ancient town of Quimper, France. The adventure is part of a new cultural exchange program facilitated by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Don “Moose” Heritage School of Music, which has partnered with the Quimper-based music organization Aprèm Jazz.
Rooted in Tradition, with an Eye Toward the Future
“Like the Jazz & Heritage Foundation, Aprèm Jazz is also dedicated to supporting their local musicians and music customs,” said Derek Douget, Director of Music Education at the Heritage School of Music, “The young musicians supported by Aprèm Jazz learn the traditional music of Brittany, as well as Jazz. They are rooted in tradition with an eye toward the future.”
Since 1990, the Heritage School of Music has served close to three hundred New Orleans students, ages 8–18, providing free after-school music lessons every week. Students not only have access to high-quality instruction by some of the city’s best-known working musicians, but also get opportunities to perform in a variety of venues, and to take advantage of audio and studio recording classes.
With this being the first international trip ever in the program’s history, Douget is excited about the opportunities the experience will offer the Heritage School of Music students making the trip, even beyond the opportunity to perform in front of new audiences. Travel experiences like these, he said, represent an opportunity for people to witness the collective nature of humanity, especially when it comes to the arts.
“For some, this will be their first time traveling abroad,” Douget said. “This is an opportunity for our students to see another culture up-close, and compare how students in Quimper live. My hope is that they will see how the French students learn and nurture the indigenous music of their region, while also studying modern music. I think this will give them a deeper appreciation for New Orleans music and culture.”
The program, which leaders from the Heritage School of Music and Aprèm Jazz have been developing since last spring, is designed to focus on creativity, collaboration, new performance experiences, and emphasize music as a shared tool and a force across cultures.
Once the Heritage School of Music students arrive in Quimper, they will meet and jam with students of Aprèm Jazz, as well as students who play in local traditional Breton bands. They’ll explore the area, immersing themselves in the local culture during the Festival de Cornouaille and the Jazz y Krampouez Festival in Concarneau. They’ll also perform at both of these festivals, exposing the people of Quimper to the musical traditions of New Orleans jazz.
The program is designed to be reciprocal, and plans are already in the works between the Jazz & Heritage Foundation and the French Consulate for students from Aprèm Jazz to visit New Orleans in spring, 2026. “We will provide performing opportunities to them, as well as opportunities to meet with our students and teachers,” said Douget. “They will get to hear brass bands, traditional New Orleans music, modern styles, and as much music as we can fit into their stay.”
Learn more about the Don “Moose” Heritage School of Music at www.heritageschoolofmusic.com.
