Chairman Errol Moore said jazz tuition for intermediate and junior high school pupils was missing in Dunedin, which created flow-on effects for musicians later in life.
He organised a workshop, for beginner performers, and invited Christchurch's Chisnallwood Intermediate specialist music teacher Judith Bell to tutor.
She brought her jazz band, of 19 pupils, who joined about 50 year 7 to 10 Dunedin pupils for a day of performance and learning at Dunedin North Intermediate this week.
"We are hoping that the teachers of the kids involved will say: 'Maybe we need something in the school or community for jazz, which caters for this age-group'," Mr Moore said.
He invited Mrs Bell to assist because of her "knowledgeable and inclusive approach".
She has taught music at Chisnallwood for 11 years, has played music for as long as she can remember, and plays a wide range of instruments, including the saxophone, flute and clarinet.
Mrs Bell believed in the importance of learning jazz younger and said, traditionally, not enough of it was being taught in schools.
By learning jazz, rather than just classical, pupils could take on board both straight and swing styles, which also freed them up to improvise and be creative with their playing.
