Coldwater Band Students get Jazz

COLDWATER – Band students from Legg Middle School and Coldwater High School get to experience the fundamentals of jazz as Tibbits brings JazzReach to their schools Wednesday, November 28.

Established in 1994, JazzReach is a nationally recognized, NYC-based organization dedicated to the promotion, performance, teaching and creation of jazz music. The organization is passionately committed to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of our nation’s rich jazz tradition. They do so through engaging signature educational performances for young audiences, clinics and master classes for student musicians and lecture-demonstrations, panel discussions and mainstage concerts for general audiences.

During their appearance in Coldwater, the group will present “JazzReach Up Close” featuring the group’s resident ensemble, Metta Quintet to sixth, seventh and eighth grade band students. The program illuminates insights into the basic fundamentals of music (i,e melody, harmony & rhythm), the roles and responsibilities of each individual member of the jazz ensemble, the improvisatory nature of jazz, the importance of creative self-expression, and the cooperative, democratic nature of jazz. 

In the afternoon JazzReach will present a clinic for the high school band students. The clinic features Metta Quintet at their instruments, playing and illustrating some of their ideas and personal insights about the many facets of jazz performance. During the clinic, students may have opportunities to play along with the quintet.

JazzReach’s appearance at the schools is funded through support from the Branch County Community Foundation, the Coldwater Band Boosters, and the Tibbits Opera Foundation and Arts Council. The program is part of Tibbits’ School Programming effort which receives support from Asama Coldwater Manufacturing. Last year nearly 3000 students participated in the programs presented at the theatre. This school year, Tibbits presented ArtRageous in October. In the spring, performances available to the schools include Michigan Shakespeare Festival’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Wild Swan Theater’s “Jack and the Beanstalk” and others, which are still being finalized.

According to Tibbits Executive Director Christine Delaney, “It is such an opportunity to be able to bring JazzReach to our community. I know many students would never have this kind of an up-close experience with jazz music. It’s such an important art form and piece of our American heritage; I thank all who have made it possible.”

For more information on JazzReach go to jazzreach.org. For more information or to make reservations for the other Tibbits’ school performances contact Tibbits at 517-278-6029. 

JazzReach’s Metta Quintet will bring the fundamentals of jazz to Coldwater band students Nov. 28 a presentation of Tibbits School Programming.

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