The UNC Summer Jazz Workshop wrapped up this week and was a fabulous experience for me. I enjoyed being fully immersed in jazz, as well as learning more about journalism. I would recommend it to anyone, as long as you’re somewhat interested in music, you’ll have a great time. Here are my top four takeaways from an amazing week.
Jazz is difficult
Though I play guitar, I came to this workshop as a non-performer. This allowed me to see the inner workings of the practicing, learning, and understanding that goes into a jazz performance. I sat in on the daily improv sessions, where students would play various songs and then have a chance to improvise on them. These sessions displayed the remarkable ability of the students who made up majestic solos on the spot. It truly takes a lot to be a jazz musician and what the students here are doing is impressive.
There’s more to journalism than you think
I had no prior journalism experience before this camp, and the journalism course is designed for that, people who know little about journalism. But going into it I figured we would just be writing about the workshop and reporting, but there is much more to it. I learned that journalists have to think about phrasing headlines that make people want to click on them, that articles need to be concise but have valuable details, and how just how much thought goes into every post, tweet, or news article put out by journalists. The camp gave me a great look into journalism as a beginner and has made me interested in the field.
Learning the history of jazz allows you to appreciate the music more
The jazz history portion of the course was very informative. Though the course only spans five days, I was able to get a good overview of the evolution of jazz and the highlights of famous musicians. Learning about jazz has definitely made me start listening to jazz. I’ve added a ridiculous amount of jazz music to my library after taking the class, and even while just listening to it, I can hear things I wouldn’t have heard before.
The professors and faculty are superb
Dan Davis and Andy Bechtel are magnificent professors for the jazz history and journalism courses. Professor Davis is very passionate about the subject and keeps you fully engaged the entire time. His love for jazz makes you love jazz. Professor Bechtel is very experienced in journalism and teaches the basics in a clear and easy to understand way. He is always there if you need him and provides great tips on journalism. All the faculty are supportive and welcoming, creating a great environment.