This week, the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop gathered Carolina students and community members together to learn and be immersed in Jazz performance and studies. Students of all ages played and learned together, for a learning experience which was for many their first in-person educational time in 18 months. Here are the highlights.
- The Music: Each night, students enjoyed free jazz concerts put on by faculty and visiting musicians. The music played at these shows represented a diverse array of jazz tunes and techniques, and many songs were played by their composers—an addition to the experience which makes any concert more memorable.
- The Masters: Each morning, masterclass jazz clinics taught by distinguished musicians challenged students to critically think about their technique, style, practice routines, and more. Musicianship is about more than just how well we play, and masterclass instructors with experience in composing, leading bands, and simply playing really, really well were prepared to bring the musicianship of those gathered here to the next level.
- The Combos:Â As part of the UNC SJW experience, performers were divided into small ensembles called “combos” to learn and perform pieces of music at the conclusion of the workshop. These groups, divided by skill level and style of music, gave students hands-on experience in improvisation and performance, and facilitated important collaboration between students and faculty members. These combos will perform live and via streaming on Friday, June 25th beginning at 6:30pm.
- The Connections: Coming out of a pandemic, students were understandably a bit rusty playing in front of their peers and connecting with fellow musicians. But getting to watch them come out of that shell, really perform, and truly improve and blossom was such a special experience. Meeting these students and learning what I have about jazz performance and history, which would any other year feel so mundane, was something that this year felt truly priceless.