Following the Chamber Music Intensive, we continued our summer programming with our annual, two-week Jazz Workshop, led by Danny Janklow and Sam Hirsh. During the summer Jazz Workshop, students ages 12-18 came together to gain experience in jazz performance, improvisation, theory, and history, culminating in an end-of-program performance.

Students played and learned about works from artists including Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Grover Washington, and Nat Adderley. As always, the Jazz Workshop is open to players of any instrument and does not require any prior jazz knowledge, creating a fun and safe educational environment dedicated to trying new things and learning through teamwork. Read on to learn more about how students who are new to jazz and have just met, form a tight-knit bond at the end of just two weeks.

The workshop is unique in that it allows students to experiment with different musical techniques and/or instruments. On the third day of the program, violin player Sarai Woodard (15) was curious about playing the bass and had the opportunity to try it for the first time. When asked about her experience at the end of the program, she said “I play bass now! The bass teacher, Sherry Luchette, came in and taught me the variety of sounds I can make with the bass. I want to take lessons now. I’m very thankful for this opportunity to try another instrument”.

On the second day of the workshop, Janklow shared, “It’s going really well so far. It’s nice to have a group of kids who are curious to learn things that take a lot of courage to understand like improv, theory, and rhythms outside of their comfort zone. They’re learning how playing the music creates a conversation between instruments”.

This growth mindset – and the bonds that develop as a result – only increased throughout the program. Towards the end of the workshop, Hirsh said, “The kids have been a delight to work with – they’re so hard-working. They all take the music seriously and throw new ideas around, making it a completely collaborative effort. They’ve grown so much over two weeks!”

Another important element of this program is learning about jazz history and its roots in Black culture. The teachers made it a point to present videos on this subject, play songs by Black artists, and ensure the students knew what each song they played was about and the social and cultural context. Janklow commented on the students’ willingness and eagerness to learn saying “They’re so respectful of learning about the history and origins of jazz. They have intelligent commentary about the different artists and styles when discussing the various themes each song centers around.”

The collaborative experiences provided by the workshop were appreciated by the students as well. When asked about his favorite part of the program, Trombone and saxophone player, Donovan Brown (14), said “I liked learning about and playing different genres of music, especially the wonderful world of Bosona that Ellis Kim (13) introduced us to.”

Both drummer, Ellis Kim (13) and piano player, West Lough (11), are new to jazz and commented on why they enrolled in the workshop and what they thought makes jazz unique. Ellis said, “jazz is very energetic in a colorful way. It’s more flexible and it’s all about playing in a group.” West chimed in saying, “jazz has a more lively flow than classical music. I joined the program because I want to meet people who also enjoy music.”

At the end of the program, the students all commented on how it was their collaboration that made playing jazz so enjoyable, so freeing. Ellis said, “playing the music is just really fun, especially in a group.” Donovan added, “Because you’re not as isolated, it’s not as big of a deal if you mess up”. This helps with overall musicianship because, as Sarai Woodard (15) said, “playing in a group also makes it easier to listen to music and point out different instruments”.

It was another great summer and we can’t wait to have everyone back next year! If you or anyone you know is interested in learning more about PCM’s Jazz Department, taking lessons with one of our esteemed faculty members, or joining a youth or adult combo, please don’t hesitate to reach out for a free trial.