Bill McFarlin
Bill McFarlin, Executive Director of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE), has served as a leader in the jazz and music world for the past 25 years. During his 15-year tenure as Chief Executive Officer of IAJE, Bill has directed the exponential growth of the organization to assume its current role as the leading voice for the field of jazz with over 10,000 members in 50 countries.
IAJE's program accomplishments include partnerships with National Endowment for the Arts (NEA Jazz Masters); the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMY High School Jazz Ensembles); MENC - The National Association for Music Education (Teacher Training Institutes); the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (IAJE/ASCAP Commissioning Program); and the International Jazz Festivals Organization (IJFO/IAJE International Jazz Award.) In addition, IAJE publishes the bimonthly Jazz Education Journal, produces the world's largest annual jazz conference (held in rotating North American cities), and directs a number of talent recognition and professional development programs for its members and the field at large.
Prior to joining IAJE, Bill served on the administration of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, a non-profit arts organization based in Western Michigan. His responsibilities at Blue Lake included management of the on-campus 100,000 watt National Public Radio station (WBLV-FM), coordination of the summer camp`s jazz instruction program, direction of the Blue Lake International Jazz Ensemble, and management of the organizations 6,000-seat performing arts facility.
Other professional positions have included serving as Director of Administration and Education for Learning Resources Network (LERN), the largest association in the field of lifelong learning. As a musician, Bill has performed and/or recorded with such artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Lena Horne, Phil Wilson, Bob Hope, Bunky Green and Louie Bellson. He served as Director of the Kansas State University Jazz Ensemble for 2 years, culminating in a European concert tour with performances at the Montreux (Switzerland) and North Sea (Holland) Jazz Festivals.
Bill holds a Bachelor's Degree from Boston's Berklee College of Music with additional studies at Michigan State University and the Kansas State University Graduate School. He has served as a member of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz and Music Overview Panels, has presented and moderated panels at numerous industry conferences, and has served as an adjudicator at educational jazz festivals throughout North America. He is a recipient of the IAJE Lawrence Berk Leadership Award, the IAJE Presidents Award, The Jazz Journalist Association A-Team Award and the Berklee College of Music Distinguished Alumni Award.
Bill is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the American Society of Association Executives and Phi Mu Alpha. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Jazz Alliance International, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the National Music Council and the International Association for Jazz Education.