On Monday, April 2, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz will formally announce the relocation of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance graduate-level college program from Los Angeles to the campus of Loyola University New Orleans. The program, which kicks off National Jazz Appreciation Month and is part of the Institute's "Commitment to New Orleans," is associated with the New Orleans Consortium, which includes Tulane University, the University of New Orleans, Delgado Community College, and three Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Dillard, Southern, and Xavier.

During the announcement, the Institute will introduce the new class of top young musicians who will begin studying at the Jazz Performance program at Loyola in August. Jazz legends Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and New Orleans native, Terence Blanchard will join the incoming class for performances during the announcement celebration.

All faculty and staff are invited to attend the event, which willl be held at Loyola's Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall at 11 a.m.

The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit educational organization established in 1986 by the Monk family and the late Maria Fisher, founder of the Beethoven Society of America. The Institute was created in memory of Thelonious Monk, the legendary jazz pianist and composer who believed the best way to learn jazz was from a master of the music. The Institute follows that same philosophy and for the past 20 years has brought young aspiring jazz artists together with renowned jazz musicians. The Institute is devoted to the preservation of jazz and the continued expansion of this truly American musical art form. More information at www.monkinstitute.org