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Where Dreams Find Their Rhythm

For students in the Cincinnati Jazz Academy, music has become a source of confidence, creativity, and community.

A partnership between Kennedy Heights Arts Center and Cincinnati Public Schools, the Jazz Academy provides high-quality, barrier-free jazz education to students across the city. Through instruction, mentorship, and performance opportunities, it helps young musicians grow both on and off the stage.

For Cadence Okuwobi, that growth has been life-changing. Over the past five years, she has found her voice and her confidence as one of the only Black female bassists in Cincinnati. “Jazz Academy taught me the joy of trying something new,” she says. “It helped me see what’s possible.”

Her parents, Dr. Oneya and Rev. Dele Okuwobi, have seen firsthand how the program has shaped their daughter’s future. “Jazz Academy has been the single most formative activity in Cadence’s life,” they share. “From the dedicated faculty, to the friendship of her bandmates, and the tangible resources the program offers — private lessons, instruments, and transportation — the Cincinnati Jazz Academy provided everything Cadence needed to develop from a novice to a professional musician.”

Cadence entered the program as a sixth-grade cellist. Within a year, she was encouraged to explore new instruments, from guitar to electric bass, before falling in love with the upright bass, now her main instrument. That guidance led her to perform at international festivals and attend the Jazz at Lincoln Center Summer Jazz Academy in New York City. Today, Cadence mentors younger students and performs professionally. “Every part of this program matters,” she says. “The lessons, the instruments, the support, the connections. It all works together.”

Evelyn Yosmali, a tenth grader who plays the vibraphone, has been part of the Jazz Academy for five years. “Music is such an important part of (my) life,” she says. “It connects people. Life is boring without music.” This past summer, Evelyn attended Interlochen, one of the nation’s top arts camps. “Because of Jazz Academy, I already knew how to jam with people, how to network, and how to carry myself on stage,” she says. The support Kennedy Heights Arts Center provided helped make that opportunity possible. “It’s such a supportive community,” she adds. “Everyone is encouraged to grow.”

For Yaziah Etheridge, now a senior, the program has shaped not only his musicianship but his sense of self. “Being a part of the Jazz Academy has changed my life,” he says. “It taught me time management, discipline, and not being scared to put myself out there.” His grandmother, Evaxie Durand, remembers watching his transformation. “Yaziah started CJA as a small, big-eyed little boy who always loved music,” she recalls. “He lacked confidence in himself, and he didn’t think he could play. His music teacher encouraged him to just try, and to his surprise, he was a natural. Dr. Rudnick worked with him and helped him become a real trumpeter. I saw his grades improve, his focus sharpen, and his confidence bloom. His posture even changed. He began to stand tall.”

Through the Jazz Academy, Yaziah traveled abroad for the first time on a trip to Lisbon, Portugal, where he performed in breathtaking venues like the Mosteiro da Batalha — and, as he’ll tell you, had the best shaved ice of his life. “This experience has literally taken him around the world,” Evaxie says. “His life has been forever changed, and I am so grateful to Kennedy Heights Arts Center for shaping such a great young man.”

For these students and their families, the Cincinnati Jazz Academy is more than a music program. It is a place where potential is nurtured, confidence is built, and dreams take flight.

Because at Kennedy Heights Arts Center, art changes everything. It creates opportunity, shapes futures, and transforms lives through the power of creativity.

Make More Stories Like This Possible

Your gift to Kennedy Heights Arts Center helps ensure that every young person — regardless of income or circumstance — has access to the life-changing power of art. This year, your support is especially critical. Due to significant federal funding cuts–including the elimination of our NEA grant and budget cuts at Cincinnati Public Schools–individual support has never been more important. 

Every donation supports opportunities that build confidence and open doors for students like Cadence, Evelyn, and Yaziah. Together, we can keep the rhythm of their dreams alive.

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