Community Workshops with Spenard Jazz Fest

On May 31, 2026, Spenard Jazz Fest filled The Nave with the joy of music through a day of free community workshops, made possible by support from the Alaska State Council on the Arts.

Families and music lovers of all ages explored new sounds at the "Musical Instrument Petting Zoo" with Miriah May, where participants could learn about, touch, and play instruments of all shapes and sizes.

Tom Locher and Alyssa Fischer then led a "Music and Memory" workshop for local seniors, highlighting the power of music to support memory, connection, and well-being. For this workshop, Cook Inlet Housing Authority Resident Services partnered with Spenard Jazzfest to transport local seniors to the event and provided refreshments for participants. Thank you, CIHA!

The afternoon concluded with Yngvil Vatn Guttu's "Singing In and Out of Tune" workshop, welcoming people of all ages and abilities to make music together, build community, and express what words sometimes cannot.

Chin'an, Thank you to Yngvil and the entire Spenard Jazzfest team for sharing the healing and connecting power of music with our community.

Photos by Andrew Karmun.