Saturday, March 04, 2000
Jazz fest goals: Inspiration, fun
Pros help teen players soak it in
BY JENNY CALLISON
Enquirer Contributor
OXFORD — The trumpets shall sound Sunday, but there will be plenty of trombones, saxophones and percussion instruments as well.
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IF YOU GO
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• What: Southwestern Ohio High School Jazz Festival.
• When: 1 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday; gala concert is at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Center for Performing Arts, Miami University.
• Admission: Free.
• Information: 529-3074 or 529-3014.
• Participating bands: Amelia, Centerville, Deer Park, Edgewood, Greenville, Lakota West, Lebanon, Madeira, Madison, Milford, Northwestern, Sidney, South Dearborn, Springfield North, Van Wert and West Carrollton.
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Bands from 16 high schools will take part in the 22nd annual Southwestern Ohio High School Jazz Festival, sponsored by Miami University. No battle of the bands, the day's activities are designed to allow ensembles to listen to one another and to professional jazz musicians who attend the event.
This year's artists include New York jazz trumpeter John Bailey, as well as Tristate trumpet professionals Dominic Spera, Gary Winters and Scott Belck. They will be joined by James Smith, guitarist and University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music instructor. Several Miami music faculty members will also participate.
“It's the world series of high school jazz festivals,” said Christopher Andrews, band director at Edgewood High School in Trenton.
Ron Levi, band director at Milford High School, has taken his ensemble to the event for years. He says organizer James Olcott always invites jazz professionals who are inspiring teachers as well as performers.
“It's good for high school students to see a level of playing like that of the clinicians he brings in,” Mr. Levi said.
“It is important that our young musicians are taught how to play jazz through every means available: quality instruction, encouragement, and opportunities for listening and performance,” said Mr. Olcott, professor of music at Miami. “Oh yeah, and along the way, a heck of a lot of fun is had by all.”
Mr. Olcott purposely limits the event to 16 high schools so there's a personal feel to the festival.
“We don't want it to get so big that it becomes an impersonal enterprise,” he said. “I send out invitations to every high school in the area, and the first 16 cards returned to me are the bands that play; it doesn't matter if they're a beginning band or an advanced program.“
The festival enables each band to perform and then attend clinics with the invited professionals. In the evening, Miami's 1:00 Jazz Ensemble performs with the guest artists.
Greg Matusak, a Miami alum and Madeira jazz band director, sees the festival's impact on his students.
“It's one thing to hear something from your band director and another thing altogether to hear it from a jazz professional,” he said. “The kids listen to music in a different way after spending an hour in a clinic with a jazz musician.”
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