The first of what may become a series of Jazz    Teacher Training Institutes was held June 25-27 at Disney's Epcot Center in Florida. Approximately 85 music educators, musicians, and jazz enthusiasts attended this extremely well-organized and highly informative event. This cooperative effort to encourage, educate and assist music teachers in including jazz in our students’ music education was sponsored by the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Music Educators National Conference, with the assistance and support of Black Entertainment Television and Disney Entertainment Arts.
    Three main areas of concentration were addressed: general music, instrumental music, and vocal music, each taught by a distinguished array of professors and artists hailing from USC, University of Colorado, S. F. State University, Western Connecticut University, University of Louisville, IAJE and Walt Disney Entertainment.
 Since I teach general music, chorus and band in a small, K-12 school, I attended one or more sessions in each category. 

Vocal Jazz Groups
 Jerry Tolson of the University of Louisville, and Darmon Meader of New York Voices, taught the vocal sessions. Their first session (the one I attended) covered the rationale for, and the steps in forming a vocal jazz group. Their rationale for having a vocal jazz group was that it fulfills at least eight, if not all nine, of the national music content standards for Grades K-12, which are:

• Singing, alone and with others, a varied  repertoire of music
• Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments
• Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
• Reading and notating music
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
• Evaluating music and music performances
• Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
• Understanding music in relation to history and culture 

a. a group of 12 to 16 voices is ideal
b. a good sound system is important
c. voicing is not as restrictive as in the traditional chorus, because the voice parts often weave   in and out of other ranges
d. being able to hear intervals is vital
e. being able to sing in different group arrangements is important
f. during the audition, singers should be allowed to sing something they prepared
g. rehearsal set-up is important; occasionally, intermingling the sections (after some experience), for each singer's development of independence and security on a part, is advisable
h. sectionals are extremely important 

Instrumental Music
    In the instrumental sessions, Shelton Berg, of USC and the Past-President of IAJE, enthusiastically presented “Teaching Improvisation” and “Coaching the Rhythm Section.” He covered techniques in rhythm reading, positive reinforcements, musical expression and interpretation, and balance, plus offered a wealth of musical “words of wisdom,” not the least being the actual embodiment of “love” in, of, for and through music. I definitely got the impression that Shelly Berg, literally, loves music, loves making music and sharing his love of music through his performances, and loves the consequent touching of souls and moving of hearts. Hearing him teach and perform was, for me, the highlight of the entire Institute. 

Interest For All
    Topics of interest to everyone, “Jazz History Overview” and “Technology: The Use of Enhanced Jazz CD’s in the Classroom,” were presented in general sessions by Dr. Willie Hill, of the University of Colorado, School of Music. Dr. Hill began his “Jazz History” overview with Ragtime, Scott Joplin, and the question, Is Ragtime jazz? He then left it up to the participants to decide...after eliciting from them two primary elements of jazz: improvisation and the “swinging” eighth note. In three separate sessions in the course of this three-day Institute, Dr. Hill described the predominant jazz styles: Dixieland, Swing, Bebop, Cool Jazz, Hard Bop, Fusion, Pop and Contemporary, noting the key components of each style. With the use of enhanced CD’s, he demonstrated how these famous musicians and their music could be brought into the classroom. Dr. Hill's sessions were even further enhanced by the live improvisations of a spontaneously assembled combo made up of faculty members, Shelton Berg, piano, and Darmon Meader, tenor saxophone, plus two Disney Entertainment Arts musicians on acoustic bass and drums. 
     Consistent with the meticulous manner in which this institute was run, an informative handbook was provided to each participant. Contained in the handbook was a valuable collection of articles on topics such as computer programs, composing a 12-bar blues, teaching improvisations, rehearsal techniques, along with web sites,1-800 telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and a glossary of jazz terms for the novice jazz musician and jazz teacher.
     Finally, as if to add “topping to this cake,” we were unexpectedly treated to outstanding performances by various Disney Entertainment Arts groups: a brass band, an American folk song group singing a Capella, a Mariachi band, and a male quartet performing songs of the 60's and 70’s.
     Needless to say, the up-coming school year will find me making a bigger effort to:

a. incorporate jazz in my elementary music classes;
b. introduce more jazz styles in my vocal and instrumental groups; and,
c. start small jazz groups/combos for the advanced students, allowing them the opportunity to develop their skills in improvisation.