An anxious Mr. Taylor calls, ‘one, two three, four,’ and the band erupts in their first song. In every last effort to amaze the visitors, the band ends the piece slightly exhausted, yet eager for the feedback.
‘A lot of wonderful things are happening here’, begins Mr. Ben Wolfe, artistic director of the Julliard school in New York City. He continues with his introduction to the lesson by asking the band a profound question, essential to their career ahead of them as musicians.
‘What makes a band great? What sets a great group of musicians apart from everyone else in music? It’s the passion, the value and consideration of concept, time, and style. You all have to work together, and be one,’ advises Wolfe.
Here as one of the greatest privileges Park City High School has ever seen, Julliard instructors Ben Wolfe and Carl Allen visited the PCHS varsity Jazz band Friday afternoon to teach the Jazz band the essentials of performing and playing music.
For nearly two full hours, the two taught the Varsity Jazz band many valuable lessons in music, applicable to both their futures as musicians, and their lives ahead of them. Having worked with legendary artists, including Harry Connick Jr., both Wolfe and Allen were an incredible privilege to have had visit the school.
For over and hour and a half, Wolfe and Allen focused primarily on emphasizing the importance of practice as a musician, commitment to both your instrument and band, capturing the feel and essence of the music, teamwork and collaboration, learning to play new instruments and expanding your horizons as a musician, and developing a vast knowledge and appreciation for the subject of music.
‘Everyone needs to think about how to capture the feel,’ explains Wolfe. ‘It is so [incredibly] important to be one, and play as one. What you need to work on is your dynamics and contrast and feeling for the music.’
Wolfe’s and Allen’s constructive criticism proved to be both useful and extremely valuable to the musicians and teachers.
After giving the band constructive and useful feedback, Wolfe and Allen proceeded to offer important words of wisdom and advice for the aspiring musicians before them. As the students listened intently, nearly all of them taking notes, Allen went on to elaborate on the importance of the musicians incorporating Jazz music into their everyday lives, and practicing everyday.
‘This music is a language [and] the only way you are able to play it is to listen to it, and speak it. You need to play as much as you possibly can; with the people you love, the people you like, and even the people you don’t like. Practice is so critical in music.’
Adds Wolfe, ‘You need to develop a personal relationship with the music.’ Wolfe and Allen also went on to discuss the importance of familiarity with not only the music notes, but the feeling and rhythm of the music itself.
‘We can’t play Jazz just based on what we see. We have to use each other and the music, and trust our ears. As a musician, don’t become dependant on something you have to read,’ says Allen of reading notes in music.
After much in-depth elaboration and analysis on the key elements of being a successful musician, Wolfe and Allen conclude their presentation with deeply profound words of advice for the students.
‘If you are truly sincere in your music and the work you do in life, people will feel that sincerity. People will want to work with you and listen to what you have to play.’
Agrees Wolfe, ‘no one writes something or plays something for it to not be heard. When you add that sincerity, it makes people want to listen.’
Near the end of their session, the teachers answered the students’ questions with insightful answers and thoughtful comments. Asked PCHS Senior and Jazz band vocalist Margaret Vallejo, ‘do you suggest that musicians learn multiple instruments?’
Answers Allen, ‘whatever you can’t do, you want to learn.’
The session ended with an inspirational word of advice from both of the instructors. ‘Keep playing music, guys. Never stop playing,’ says Allen in a powerful concluding statement.
Adds Wolfe, ‘Yes, and always play for the enjoyment. That’s the most important thing.’
The two stated as they ended their session, ‘you guys are wonderful musicians. There were a lot of great things happening here.’
At the end of the lesson, Wolfe and Allen certainly weren’t the only ones leaving the room thoroughly impressed and contently satisfied. Gushes PCHS Jazz band teacher Chris Taylor, ‘I thought the students did a very wonderful job. I think we had a good balance of songs that was very well prepared, plus music new music that we’re working on.’
Adds Taylor proudly, ‘I have a few students who could definitely be Julliard material.’
Needless to say, the teachings of Wolfe and Allen will remain one of the most valuable, unforgettable lessons PCHS students will ever experience. Vocalist Vallejo contends, ‘I learned so much from them. Everything they said today was just reiterating everything you already know about music, but on a much more deep, in-depth level.’
Naturally, the musicians and Taylor felt a little nervous before their meeting with the prestigious schoolteachers. ‘I mean it’s Julliard, so of course we were e a little nervous,’ admits Taylor.
Agrees Vallejo, ‘Of course I was nervous, and I did [slip up] a few times in my solo, but overall I thought my performance was good, and our performance as a band was good. I just tried to go in there with a good, open attitude, and to just be ready for anything.’
Exiting the classroom, Wolfe and Allen shook hands with every musician in the room, responding graciously to all the thanks and appreciation they received.
Says Wolfe in a moment of reiteration as the doting students look on, ‘Don’t ever stop playing the music. And don’t ever stop playing it from your heart, with your sincerity.’
‘A lot of wonderful things are happening here’, begins Mr. Ben Wolfe, artistic director of the Julliard school in New York City. He continues with his introduction to the lesson by asking the band a profound question, essential to their career ahead of them as musicians.
‘What makes a band great? What sets a great group of musicians apart from everyone else in music? It’s the passion, the value and consideration of concept, time, and style. You all have to work together, and be one,’ advises Wolfe.
Here as one of the greatest privileges Park City High School has ever seen, Julliard instructors Ben Wolfe and Carl Allen visited the PCHS varsity Jazz band Friday afternoon to teach the Jazz band the essentials of performing and playing music.
For nearly two full hours, the two taught the Varsity Jazz band many valuable lessons in music, applicable to both their futures as musicians, and their lives ahead of them. Having worked with legendary artists, including Harry Connick Jr., both Wolfe and Allen were an incredible privilege to have had visit the school.
For over and hour and a half, Wolfe and Allen focused primarily on emphasizing the importance of practice as a musician, commitment to both your instrument and band, capturing the feel and essence of the music, teamwork and collaboration, learning to play new instruments and expanding your horizons as a musician, and developing a vast knowledge and appreciation for the subject of music.
‘Everyone needs to think about how to capture the feel,’ explains Wolfe. ‘It is so [incredibly] important to be one, and play as one. What you need to work on is your dynamics and contrast and feeling for the music.’
Wolfe’s and Allen’s constructive criticism proved to be both useful and extremely valuable to the musicians and teachers.
After giving the band constructive and useful feedback, Wolfe and Allen proceeded to offer important words of wisdom and advice for the aspiring musicians before them. As the students listened intently, nearly all of them taking notes, Allen went on to elaborate on the importance of the musicians incorporating Jazz music into their everyday lives, and practicing everyday.
‘This music is a language [and] the only way you are able to play it is to listen to it, and speak it. You need to play as much as you possibly can; with the people you love, the people you like, and even the people you don’t like. Practice is so critical in music.’
Adds Wolfe, ‘You need to develop a personal relationship with the music.’ Wolfe and Allen also went on to discuss the importance of familiarity with not only the music notes, but the feeling and rhythm of the music itself.
‘We can’t play Jazz just based on what we see. We have to use each other and the music, and trust our ears. As a musician, don’t become dependant on something you have to read,’ says Allen of reading notes in music.
After much in-depth elaboration and analysis on the key elements of being a successful musician, Wolfe and Allen conclude their presentation with deeply profound words of advice for the students.
‘If you are truly sincere in your music and the work you do in life, people will feel that sincerity. People will want to work with you and listen to what you have to play.’
Agrees Wolfe, ‘no one writes something or plays something for it to not be heard. When you add that sincerity, it makes people want to listen.’
Near the end of their session, the teachers answered the students’ questions with insightful answers and thoughtful comments. Asked PCHS Senior and Jazz band vocalist Margaret Vallejo, ‘do you suggest that musicians learn multiple instruments?’
Answers Allen, ‘whatever you can’t do, you want to learn.’
The session ended with an inspirational word of advice from both of the instructors. ‘Keep playing music, guys. Never stop playing,’ says Allen in a powerful concluding statement.
Adds Wolfe, ‘Yes, and always play for the enjoyment. That’s the most important thing.’
The two stated as they ended their session, ‘you guys are wonderful musicians. There were a lot of great things happening here.’
At the end of the lesson, Wolfe and Allen certainly weren’t the only ones leaving the room thoroughly impressed and contently satisfied. Gushes PCHS Jazz band teacher Chris Taylor, ‘I thought the students did a very wonderful job. I think we had a good balance of songs that was very well prepared, plus music new music that we’re working on.’
Adds Taylor proudly, ‘I have a few students who could definitely be Julliard material.’
Needless to say, the teachings of Wolfe and Allen will remain one of the most valuable, unforgettable lessons PCHS students will ever experience. Vocalist Vallejo contends, ‘I learned so much from them. Everything they said today was just reiterating everything you already know about music, but on a much more deep, in-depth level.’
Naturally, the musicians and Taylor felt a little nervous before their meeting with the prestigious schoolteachers. ‘I mean it’s Julliard, so of course we were e a little nervous,’ admits Taylor.
Agrees Vallejo, ‘Of course I was nervous, and I did [slip up] a few times in my solo, but overall I thought my performance was good, and our performance as a band was good. I just tried to go in there with a good, open attitude, and to just be ready for anything.’
Exiting the classroom, Wolfe and Allen shook hands with every musician in the room, responding graciously to all the thanks and appreciation they received.
Says Wolfe in a moment of reiteration as the doting students look on, ‘Don’t ever stop playing the music. And don’t ever stop playing it from your heart, with your sincerity.’
Julliard
Interesting story on Julliard. Lots of quotes and lots of reaction from the Park City students.
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