Stewart "Dirk" Fischer - California - Pioneer Jazz Educator at College of The Canyons

Pioneer Jazz Educator At College of The Canyons

Even in the 1970s, many major academic institutions and music conservatories had yet to incorporate jazz studies into traditional music pedagogy. Even though there were music institutions with strong jazz programs, finding qualified teachers — those who were at the pinnacle of their field — meant having to draw from the jazz profession, rather than from academia. The College of the Canyons found Fischer by accident. At the suggestion of his wife, Roz, Fischer visited COC as a possible outlet to play his horn and to meet others with like interests. It didn't take long for COC to figure out who he was. In 1977, Fischer became the first Instructor of Jazz Studies at College of the Canyons. At COC, he quickly established a formidable program and built it over twenty-eight years, retiring February 12, 2005. Of the many legacies Fischer built, he spearheaded the first RK Downs Jazz Festival, held Annually at COC. Fischer helped build it over the years.