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Jazz Improv Camp "Huge Success"
(Posted: July 31, 2003) (Printable Version)
The Summer Jazz Improv for Strings Camp at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith is another success, according to Don Bailey, camp director.
“It’s been a huge success,” Bailey said. “We’ve had very positive comments from the students and from the faculty who have taught at the camp. This is the first time this type of camp has been offered in Arkansas, and, as far as I know, in this part of the country. I’m sure others will be following UA Fort Smith’s example and conducting camps like this in the future.”
Participants in the camp were high school students and faculty, as well as a few UA Fort Smith students.
Chris Pinkston of Van Buren, an orchestra instructor with the Fort Smith Public Schools and part of the camp faculty, said students were learning a new approach to music while discovering their talents in improvisation, plus having a great time in the process.
“We string instructors and our students have benefited greatly from the jazz string camp,” Pinkston said. “This is a wonderful way for musicians to gain self-confidence. I hope to see this unique experience remain available to string students through UA Fort Smith for years to come. Don Bailey should be commended for his creativity and vision for this project.”
Karen Jeter of Fort Smith, a member of the camp faculty, also lauded Bailey and said this was an “exhilarating week.” Jeter is concertmaster for the Fort Smith Symphony, a leader with the Fort Smith Symphony String Quartet and director of the Fort Smith Symphony Youth Orchestras.
“Jazz and improvisation to a classically trained musician can be as intimidating as learning a foreign language without the help of a translation dictionary,” Jeter said. “However, all involved are having an incredible experience and are quickly becoming quite comfortable with creating spontaneous solos in the jazz idiom.”
Jeter, who said jazz string workshops were very rare, called the camp a “ground-breaking event.”
“What a privilege to have such a teaching genius right here in Fort Smith,” she said. “I applaud the pioneering spirit with which this program was born.”
Jerry Lane of Fort Smith, camp faculty and an orchestra instructor with the Fort Smith Public Schools, said the camp has provided him with an experience that he feels will help him to teach more thoroughly.
Lane, who has been a strings teacher and orchestra director in Arkansas since 1980, said the camp had given many strings students the desire to play jazz and create music.
“It has been exciting and inspiring to see students and teachers having so much fun while learning a truly American art form, jazz,” he said. “We hope to see the camp become an annual event that will draw string players from all of Northwest Arkansas and eventually the whole state, as well as portions of Oklahoma.”
Other camp participants included:
Caulksville: Natalie Pfeiffer, violin.
Fort Smith: Robert LaPerle, Brant Lyons, John Mazurkiewicz, Courtney Peterson, Jake Solomon, Megan Turner and James Vitale, all violin; Aaron Bushong, Sarah Gasper, Daniel Settle and Katie Tran, all viola; Todd Spain and Cassandra Strahin, cello; Thomas Biocic, Devin Harper, Jesse Lane, Mark Lewis and Jon Taylor, all bass; Terri Bailey (camp faculty and UA Fort Smith adjunct faculty), piano; Brandon Patterson (camp faculty and UA Fort Smith student), rhythm bass; and Aaron Ewing (UA Fort Smith music major), drums. Terri Bailey, Brandon Patterson and Aaron Ewing made up the rhythm section that accompanied the ensemble.
Greenwood: Jonathan Weir, violin.
Lavaca: Maurie Balch, violin.
Van Buren: Jennifer Shinn (UA Fort Smith music major and Don Bailey’s camp assistant), violin.
| Article by: Sondra LaMar, Director of Public Relations | |
| Photo(s) by: Sondra LaMar |
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