A Virtual Performing Arts Center: Qwest TV EDU by Quincy Jones Offers Musical Treasures to Educational Institutions

Free program now accepting new applications

The Qwest TV EDU (qwest.tv/edu) initiative brings a breathtaking celebration of culture, steeped in the spirit and sound of jazz, soul, funk, western classical, and other popular music genres, to students and library patrons free of charge as part of its educational mission. Guided by the vision and activism of co-founder Quincy Jones, Qwest TV wants everyone to have access to the achievements of Black and Latinx artists, to a world of high-calibre music from all over.

"...Documentaries, archives, and concerts from around the world highlight the beauty of our humanity and what makes our differences a strength to share,” Jones explains. “We want each kid and student to be able to freely explore their musical history by rediscovering their roots, both through jazz and beyond.”
 
“Getting to hear and see live performance elevates the soul, but it’s impossible at the moment, as many theaters and clubs are closed,” reflects Reza Ackbaraly, Jones’s co-founder and CEO of Qwest TV. “Many students feel lonely in lockdown and are struggling with motivation. That’s where Qwest TV can help, free of charge. We would like to help educators and librarians to bring the thrill of culture into students and library patrons’ homes.”  
 
With thousands of historically significant, artistically excellent performances, documentaries, and original productions, Qwest TV acts as a virtual performing arts center, one that defies time and geographic boundaries. This wealth of musical experiences allows viewers to deepen their knowledge, encounter something eye opening, or sample the treasures of their culture through rare archives of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Ravi Shankar, Count Basie, Manu Dibango, Gilberto Gil and more.

Qwest TV EDU has signed on over 1,000 educational and cultural institutions, including Yale University, McGill University and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, since its launch earlier this year, already reaching over 1 million students. The streaming service began providing carefully curated, culturally significant musical performances free of cost to these institutions in September 2020. All videos are available in the best quality available (HD or 4K for the most recent ones). Many feature extensive notes by scholars and journalists to add value and context, offering easy access to valuable educational materials. 
 
The EDU efforts elicited a strong response from the community. “We were overwhelmed with interest this autumn,” notes Ackbaraly. “Now that we’ve onboarded our first several hundred institutions successfully, we’re ready to help more instructors, librarians, and music lovers bring Qwest TV to those they teach and serve. We’ve very proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to continuing to expand our educational initiative.” 
 
Qwest TV, founded and inspired by music legend Quincy Jones, has taken some of the world’s most extraordinary performances to millions of viewers around the world thanks to its premium on demand service and linear channels, available on devices across Europe, Asia, South America, and the US. The video service remains dedicated to its educational mission, to inspiring audiences everywhere to explore jazz, classical, soul, funk, and all the musical and cultural threads that bind them. 
 
Interested educators can find out more and apply for free access here. The service hopes to reach as many students as possible, from elementary schools to conservatories and universities, to public libraries.
 
About Qwest TV
 
Qwest TV (qwest.tv) is a celebration of unique talents, traditions, and rhythms. With more than a thousand music-related experiences on offer, the video streaming service strives to be the world’s home for jazz, soul, funk, classical, and world music. Co-founded and curated by Quincy Jones, the channel preserves the richness of history, while reflecting the present-day beauty and reality of culturally and racially diverse people.