How to go
What: Weekend of Jazz
When: Thursday through Saturday
Where: Beavercreek High School, 2660 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek
Cost: Secada and Ellington concerts require tickets and are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students; other events free.
More info: (937) 490-9010
What better inspiration for young musicians than a Grammy-award winning musician and a world-renowned orchestra.
The 11th annual Weekend of Jazz playing Thursday to Saturday at Beavercreek High School will feature performances by the jazz bands of the Beavercreek schools, as well as two-time Grammy winner Jon Secada and the acclaimed Duke Ellington Orchestra led by Tommy James.
The event began in 2001 under the leadership of Doug McCullough, Beavercreek High’s director of bands. His original idea was for novice players to meet established musicians and learn directly from them.
“Here we are 11 years and 19 professional acts later doing the same thing: bringing the best jazz performers in the world to Beavercreek for our students and the entire community to enjoy, learn from and be inspired by,” McCullough said.
The festival begins at 7 p.m. Thursday as Beavercreek school bands play a concert and receive instruction from guest artist Jon Secada.
Though well-known for his songwriting for artists including Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez, Secada has earned two Grammy awards since going solo. Major hits included “Just Another Day” and “If You Go.” Secada also has performed on Broadway, with major roles in “Grease,” “Cabaret” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” He has a master’s degree in jazz performance and released a jazz CD in 2009.
At 8 p.m. Friday, Secada will perform a jazz show accompanied by a small combo.
On Saturday, jazz bands from 18 regional schools will work with music educators in a daylong clinic that’s open to the public. The session is instructional rather than competitive, said Jeff Weir, WOJ Director.
“This is just a chance to share their jazz music and have a professional musician critique them and provide some one-on-one help,” Weir said.
Weekend of Jazz concludes Saturday at 8 p.m. with a concert by the Duke Ellington Orchestra led by Tommy James. Orchestra manager A. C. Lichtenstein said, “Believe me, the band will be swinging and they are certain to play all the famous Ellington hits.”
After more than a decade, McCullough measures the success of the event by the impact it has had on student musicians. He said he can tell “thousands of stories (about) kids who went on to play professionally, who now have a deeper love and appreciation for music in general and especially jazz.”
Adam Alonzo is a contributing writer for the Dayton Daily News. He can be reached by e-mail at music@adamalonzo.com.
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