From the Field

A Day at the "Strings and Jazzy Things" Camp
Regina Henderson, ISO Learning Community/MYO Intern
Valparaiso Univerity '11
 
 

On Tuesday June 8^th, I had the wonderful opportunity to observe the annual summer music camp called “Strings and Jazzy Things.” After creating quite a journey for myself on my way to Broad Ripple High School, I wasn’t sure what I should be expecting and had no idea where I was going once I walked into the school. However, I finally found the registration area and set off on a mission to find Betty Perry who was in the midst of a rehearsal with a large group of young musicians. At first, I didn’t know what to expect coming out of such a variety of students, but hearing them rehearse was refreshing. I was excited to learn that it was only their 2^nd day rehearsing and they sounded so great!

After the morning rehearsal, Betty gave me the run down of everything going on that day and introduced me to several of the volunteers and teachers donating their time to such a wonderful cause. She also introduced me to a few MYO members and told me the awesome news about MYO getting invited to participate in a Berklee music camp next summer! After that, we found our way to a master class of how to perform jazz music. Dr. Monika Hertzig, led a large group of kids in a workshop demonstrating what jazz music is. After running through the “blues” scale and going over some basic jazz rhythms, it was time to do some solos! There were a few kids brave enough to volunteer while others were convinced to do one. It was fun to watch how these young musicians let their creativity and energy flow into these wonderful solos.   After the jazz workshop, it was time to watch the pros do their thing and play some of their original pieces. The short concert was a nice break in the day and very enjoyable to listen to.

Once the jazz workshop was over, it was time to grab some lunch and then break off into sectionals. I went around to the violin and viola sectionals to observe and take some pictures. This is when trumpeter, Mike Buselli came in to give the younger kids a master class on improvisation while the older ones were having sectionals. It was interesting to hear his story about why he plays the trumpet and how he conveys his emotions through his instrument. After that, there were several kids geared up and ready to volunteer their improvisatory skills and prove that they could express emotions through their playing. 

After a few exercises with triads and the “blues” scale, it was time to put their freshly learned skills to the test! Mr. Buselli was able to get a few volunteers to join him in front of everyone else and improve an emotion on their instruments while the class had to guess what emotion they were trying to convey. They did this with a couple more groups as well and all of the kids who volunteered were quite impressive! After the improv class, it was time for me to head out. I was so happy to know that summer music programs in Indianapolis like "Strings and Jazzy Things" still exist today and it is evident that these kids are learning so much from it!

So I got one of those calls that comes in every once in a while about someone wanting to make a sizable donation to an ISO education program, and you think, will this really come through?  Maybe, maybe not.  I want to play it cool and steady, but there's a part of me that gets really excited even though they may not pan out.  =)

About 20 years ago I worked as a telemarketer for a regional theatre company selling subscriptions. It was difficult work, but I believed in the product - live theatre.  My boss would tell me that a certain percentage of people who commit over the phone and tell you they'll send in a check, don't.  Instead, I was encouraged to collect a credit card number on the spot to avoid the possibility of amnesia or minds changing.

A Maestro Open committee member had called me to say he made a contact with a guy at Guitar Center who said he may have some instruments to donate to the ISO.  I called up Randy Jaunzemis, VP of Logistics with Guitar Center, that same day to follow up on the lead and in fact, Randy told me that he had some instruments, but didn't know what kind or how many instruments he would have. He then said he would call me when they came in from Maryland.

Some time passed and I got that call, so I drove to the big Guitar Center distribution center in Brownsburg and walked in to a conference room filled with string instruments.  Wow!  Some needed repairs, but many were ready to be placed in the hands of a child.  At that time Randy couldn't commit to which instruments would be coming our way because he had some schools coming by for a look later that week.  He did allow me to take one full sized violin with me that day to hand over to one of our Metropolitan Youth Orchestra students still using an instrument too small for the growing boy.  I was ecstatic!  If we ended up with just the one, that OK, but maybe he might have 5 instruments out the many he had in that room for us?  We had to wait and find out.

That next week, Randy and his colleagues dropped off the instruments at Symphony Centre.  It was a TRUCK LOAD!! We had a concert about a week later and I asked some of the parents to help me catalog the generous gift - 26 instruments in all (roughly $11,000 worth!)

“When one of my contacts put me in touch with the orchestra, I was surprised by the excitement and need for the instruments,” said Jaunzemis. “Putting instruments in the hands of aspiring musicians fits perfectly with our company anthem, ‘we help people make music.’”

Thank you to Guitar Center, Inc. and Randy Jaunzemis for their generous donation to the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra program of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.  This youth and family development program uses string instruction to reach inner city youth and many students have no means to acquire an instrument.  Their gifts will be well used!

THE METROPOLITAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Founded in 1995 by Betty Perry and managed by the ISO since 2008, the MYO is the only youth orchestra in the city designed to serve socioeconomically challenged students in an urban setting and does not require an audition to participate. The program provides a safe, structured and positive learning environment for at-risk and underserved youth and their families; builds students’ musical skills through free and reduced-tuition music instruction; teaches them life skills and exposes them to nurturing adult role models; and encourages them to graduate high school. More than 150 socially, economically and racially diverse students in grades K-12 from area schools participate in the 35-week program.

The MYO program is also supported by the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust; National Endowment for the Arts; a Community Crime Prevention Grant; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009; Christel DeHaan Family Foundation; The Indianapolis Foundation, a CICF affiliate; Back Home Again Foundation; Indianapolis Chapter of the Links, Inc.; The Glick Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation; Shaw-Burckhardt-Brenner Foundation; Sheila Fortune Foundation; The Rotary Foundation of Indianapolis; and Stewart & Irwin P.C.

Nick Kendall of Time for Three visited the ISO's youth and family development program called the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra during rehearsals this month -making stops to see Orchestra C and D... What did he talk about?? Why, his improvisation, cross-over music and practicing!!!

Luckily, he didn't get out the door without jamming with our young musicians! Check out this unique video of Nick Kendall and the Orchestra D (our youngest students) performing a student favorite - the "Up and Down" song!!

Congratulations Betty!!

Betty Perry, ISO staff member and music director of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, is a finalist for the Inspire 2010: Power of Mentoring Awards to be presented by College Mentors for Kids, Inc. on February 24^th at 11:30am at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. She was nominated by Donna Proctor at Marian University.

This "Mentor of Excellence" award is presented annually to individuals who have dedicated themselves to mentoring and inspiring excellence. 

About MYO: The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra is a youth and family development program that uses string music instruction to reach inner city youth in a unique after-school setting.  The MYO model offers positive use of free time; sequential, structured learning activities; a process of learning to set personal goals and strinve for personal best; exposure to positive, caring adult role models; and healthy peer interaction.  As a result, the high school strudents who participate and stay engaged in MYO have significantly higher graduation rates than their peers and matriculate to college.  The program serves students in grades k-12.

While the program has been around since 1995, MYO has been a program of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra since July 2008.  ISO Director of Education Carol Baker manages the program and Betty Perry is Music Director.  There are 17 part-time teachers who support the program as well as a significant partnership with Butler Community Arts School.

Betty, we are proud of the work you have accomplished!  Congratulations again!

We also thank the following extraordinary sponsors for making the MYO program a reality!

The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
Shaw-Burckhardt-Brenner Foundation
Sheila Fortune Foundation
The Glick Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation
Back Home Again Foundation
Indianapolis Chapter of the Links, Inc.
The Indianapolis Foundation, a CICF affiliate
Rotary Foundation of Indianapolis
Christel DeHaan Family Foundation
The Arts Council of Indianapolis
Indiana Arts Commission
National Endowment of the Arts
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 
 

My name is Sarah and I attend Covenant Christian High School. Each year after Christmas break, students at my school participate in a two week experience called “J-term”, or two week internship. I love music and thought that the Indianapolis Symphony would be a great opportunity. For my two weeks, I was part of the Learning Community. There were many activities and projects that I participated in during these two weeks, like the Young People's Discovery Concert teacher workshops designed to help teachers prepare their students for concerts and assisting HR with paper filing.  The teacher workshop was a brand new experience for me and I loved learning the different ways of presenting classical music to groups of elementary level students.

I was able to sit in on an ISO rehearsal and listen to the orchestra practice. Also, I attended a Happy Hour Concert planning meeting for the upcoming January event. It was interesting hearing all of the work that had been put into the event, and the work that still had to be done. Also, I was able to see the new promotional video for these concerts.

I attended a Coffee Concert and it was neat listening to the orchestra perform the songs that I heard them practice the day before. Also, before the Coffee Concert I served coffee and tea to patrons. It was fun and fascinating talking to the different people attending the concert. That ended my first week at the ISO, and I could not wait for the next week.

On Tuesday of my second week, I helped the HR department again with some filing.  I saw more paper than I have ever seen in most of my life! It was interesting how many papers and documents go through this department.

This week I was able to eat lunch with Becky, the principal piccolo player in the orchestra. It was fun hearing some of her stories and talk about flutes! Then I said bye and continued with my work in the Learning Community - mainly creating a database of orchestra music for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra program. 

Next came Friday, my last day at the ISO. Today there was a Coffee Pops Concert that I was able to enjoy. I loved this concert and had a great time listening to it.

Well, that was my J-term experience at the ISO. I could not have hoped for a better internship. I learned many things about the business behind the orchestra on stage. I was also able to meet new people and get to know them better. I am glad that I had this opportunity to spend my two weeks with the ISO!   

This month and last - teachers from all over Central Indiana are learning what Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 4 has to do with the Three Little Pigs.  What?!? You Ask? 

Well, each year over 25,000 students attend the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Young People's Discovery Concerts where they "discover" the exciting sounds of the symphony.  Historically, these Discovery concerts are many people's first trip to the symphony.  In fact, over a million people have attended these concerts over the decades and it's not unusual for me to hear stories from adult symphony goers saying their first trip to the ISO was as a child on a school field trip!

This year's program, "Musical Storytelling", features several programmatic works - meaning music representing characters, ideas or stories.  Examples include Mozart and Bernstein overtures (aka, musical abbreviations of the full length works) of The Marriage of Figaro and West Side Story.  The penultimate work on the program is The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky based on the Russian folktales of the magical bird.

Oddly, Brahms' Scherzo from Symphony No. 4 appears on this "Musical Storytelling" concert.  An example of absolute music, or rather, music that tells no story nor conveys an idea, this piece may appear out of place.  I sat in the first of two teacher workshops to specifically see how master teacher, Lisa Sullivan was going to connect this piece to the program's theme.  Little did I know, I was in for a treat.

Well, you all know the story of the three little pigs, the houses and the recurring theme of "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!" I'll admit that when I think of the Scherzo from Brahms' 4th symphony, a nursery story is far from my mind... alas, no longer!  She assigned themes from the movement to very parts of the story: the wolf, the pigs, the huff and puff and the celebration at the end.  Extracting and downloading these themes and pictures onto her computer, she used PowerPoint to tell the story.  The story version she chose to tell was Yo, Hungry Wolf (A Nursery Rap) by Davis Vozar (ISBN 0-440-40953-5). 

The storytelling was delightful, but what ensued next was truly memorable.  Teachers were introduced to rhythmic words created by Lisa and divided into groups.  Each group was assigned the task of creating movements truly worthy of a child's rap. We had a ball!!  

Check out the video below of what the teachers created.
<<<<<< >>>>>>>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoZQRRUFnMM

Now, my favorite parts of this movement will always be the recurring ding-a-linging of the triangle, but I will definitely be listening to Brahms' work a little differently now.  Next time you listen to the piece, see if you can make out the themes representing the wolf, pigs or celebration.

I also challenge you to add a comment to this post and let us know about your first trip to the ISO.  Was it on a school field trip like the Young People's Discovery Concert??

Below is a link to more information about this upcoming program.  The next teacher workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 5.
http://www.indianapolissymphony.org/learningcommunity/elementary/discovery 
 

 

• Building of knowledge
• Different pieces/shapes (blocks) representing the MYO community
• Teamwork - we all have important roles
• Setting of goals

• Like the blocks, I am connected to my family and my orchestra
• I focus my attention on my goals and stand straight
• I am prepared and ready
• Parts of me are strong and other parts weak
• I am strong

The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra’s reputation as a vibrant, valued and recognized community resource is growing and we should all feel proud!!! Reflecting on the events and happenings of this month, I am humbled by the incredible work of our MYO students and families! So much has occurred over the last 4 weeks and I believe it warrants some attention and applause! Congratulations!!

Just to recap…
 

Did you see the write up and picture in the Indy Star THIS Sunday? MYO was well presented by several students, MYO alums and teachers at a major ISO fundraiser called On Stage! designed to raise funds for the ISO’s education and outreach programs.  
 

This month we saw the launching of the Indianapolis Arts Council’s postcard campaign for the arts promoting a safer city, a stronger economy and a vibrant community. I think we are all aware of the transformative power of the arts on our young people and the MYO program has been featured as a model program. To learn more about how you can help promote funding for the arts, visit - www.whattheartsmean.org.

Also, as proud as we are - our very own Betty Perry was honored by the Coalition for 100 Black Women as a “2009 Breakthrough Award” winner on June 6 at a special ceremony held at the Madame Walker Theatre! Way to go Ms. Perry!

If that wasn’t enough, you’ve likely heard about the concert at the Hilbert Circle Theatre with Grammy Award Winner and Playhouse Disney regular Dan Zanes and Friends. Dan Zanes was so taken with MYO that he’s making a donation in honor of MYO!! (Next time you see Ms. Perry, just call her the “Dancing Conductor” as Zanes likes to call her!!)

MYO is being recognized by many for its work with youth in our community and this program would not be successful today without the excellent, cooperative work of our parents, teachers and leader Ms. Perry! 

WAY TO GO!!!

Today was so much fun! Performing on stage with Dan Zanes was too much of a nice experience.  The audience was mostly little kids, so they were pretty rowdy and excited.  I liked the outfits they wore on stage and the instruments they played.

~ Laura Engram, 15 year old sophomore in fall, Crispus Attucks HS

Today was a day I will never forget.  It was really fun being able to play with Dan Zanes and his crew.  It was really quite inspiring being able to watch someone make children happy and have fun while doing so.  It inspires people to gather energy, dress up kind of funky, and sing silly songs, just for the smile of a toddler.  It can really make a difference to the world of you can make just one child smile.  They are our future.  Make them happy and the future becomes brighter.

~ Aren Mackenzie Bottoms, 14 year old freshman in fall Broad Ripple

I really enjoyed myself playing with Dan Zanes and his crew.  I have two favorite parts of this day playing with them.  One is when we were backstage and one of his crew members let me play the ukulele.  I’ve always been a fan of that instrument and it was amazing my first time playing it.  Secondly, when we were on stage performing and Dan Zanes was so connected with the crowd.  Made me feel really cool to see all the smiling faces.

~ Joilyn Martin, 15 year old sophomore in fall, Lawrence North HS

Members of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra filed back into the ISO’s Large Rehearsal Hall just after 12:30 PM on Sunday following a morning rehearsal with the Disney Playhouse famed band Dan Zanes and Friends.  The youth orchestra was invited to perform with the popular children’s music band on their Indianapolis concert at the Hilbert Circle Theatre.

“What is wrong with your hair?” Markeisha Laswell asked of the Grammy Award winning child music star Dan Zanes when he stopped by the rehearsal hall for a quick hello after the morning rehearsal.  Justice Vaughn then grabbed the opportunity to ask how he gets his hair to look like that.   Zanes’ eyes widened as he quipped with “I use a little bees wax and my man claws.”  Surprised, the two 10 year olds ran to the other side of the room giggling.

Shortly thereafter, Elena Moon Park from the band invited the orchestra to play on the concert’s finale, Bye, Bye, Roseanna – a piece they had not rehearsed.  She had no sheet music in hand for the orchestra’s director, Ms. Perry - only her ukulele as she plucked out a short series of notes.  The kids picked the little diddly up and added it to their set.  Very cool!  Hey, like the professionals!