School is cool with jazz

VAIL – The Vail Jazz Foundation’s (VJF) Jazz Goes to School program kicks off its seventh year in Eagle County Schools Monday, Nov. 8. This program offers an innovative and fully integrated approach to teaching music and social studies at the elementary school level. And best of all, the kids think it’s cool, organizers say. The program is presented by the VJF to all fourth- and fifth-graders in the public schools of Eagle County, plus the Eagle County Charter Academy, Vail Mountain School, Eagle Valley Christian Academy and St. Clare of Assisi. This year, Jazz Goes to School will reach over 1,000 students as the program continues to expand to serve the ever-increasing student population. Jazz Goes to School is an interactive program, formatted as a sequential series of four 45-minute lessons that are presented during the course of the school year. The curriculum, fully integrates jazz music education and social studies subjects, such as world/American geography and history, and has been embraced by school administrators and instructors, parents and the students. The program creates an awareness at a younger level, thus creating future audiences and potentially, future jazz musicians. “Many of my students take music or dance lessons, and they relate very well to the program. It heightens their appreciation of music and its history. In the future, they will be more aware of types of music and of the sounds various instruments; as well as rhythm and patterns,” said Jean Naumann of St. Clare of Assisi.

Up to five professional musicians present a lesson that includes age-appropriate discussions of the history of jazz and the fundamental elements comprising jazz. In addition, there are demonstrations of the playing of instruments generally used in jazz and of famous jazz compositions and popular children’s songs in jazz style. In every lesson, students learn through participation by playing a variety of drums and percussion instruments to understand jazz rhythms; singing and clapping to demonstrate concepts such as call and response; and playing special melodic instruments in order to experience improvisation. Formal lesson plans, post-lesson plans and visual aids are provided to each of the school’s music instructors to help reinforce the lessons taught in each session. By blending these subjects in a lesson plan, the educators link various social studies subjects that students are exposed to in their regular curriculum to the history of jazz in a unique and stimulating manner. Local jazz musician and professional jazz educator Tony Gulizia (keyboard and vocals), directs the Jazz Goes to School program. Tony’s brother, Joey (drummer), who is also a professional jazz musician and educator, co-presents the sessions. Other professional musicians and clinicians who assist the Gulizia brothers include Kirk Garrison (trumpet), Andy Hall (bass) and Roger Neuman (saxophone).The fourth and final session scheduled for April 11 12, 2005, will feature the sixth annual Jazz Goes to School student concerts at the Vilar Center for the Arts in Beaver Creek for all elementary school students participating in the program. The student concerts demonstrate all of the concepts taught in the first three classroom sessions and featured music written and/or performed by the greatest jazz musicians in history as well as blues tunes written by the fifth-grade students.

The 2004-2005 Jazz Goes to School schedule is as follows:- Session No. 1: Nov. 8-12, 2004- Session No. 2: January 10-14, 2005

– Session No. 3: Feb. 22-25, 2005- Session No. 4: April 11 and 12, 2005 at the Vilar Center for the ArtsVail Daily, Vail Colorado