Music is a Gift: Urbandale Schools' Jazz Program

Ed Thigpen said, “Musicians should never forget that we're blessed. We have a special gift that people can enjoy through us. We've had the good fortune to receive this and pass it along to others.”

My thanks to the Urbandale middle school and high school musicians who shared their gift with us at the Urbandale Jazz Concert held at the Urbandale High School Performing Arts Center on the evening of November 28th.  This show is especially entertaining because the evening begins with the Middle School Jazz Band.  By the time Jazz I plays at the end of the night, those in attendance develop a sense of how accomplished the young musicians become and how much they develop during their high school years.

The Middle School musicians put on quite a show and brought honor to their teachers and their families.  Following the 7^th and 8^th graders’ pieces, the high school bands offered performances that are best described as “inspiring.”

A jazz concert is different from traditional concert band performances.  At the jazz concert, the leader (in the case of the Urbandale High School program, the instructors Steve Kellar and Myron Peterson) helps the band begin the song in sync and then leaves the stage.  The band, made up of a keyboard, various percussion instruments, guitars, and a variety of wind and brass instruments, continues to play an upbeat, jazz song with seemingly no one leading. 

While the music continues, a steady stream of musicians make their way to the microphone at the front of the band to each play a solo.  Jazz songs feature a lot of soloists which affords a number of students the opportunity to show off their talent.  And show off they did.  I haven’t had the pleasure to watch a lot of professional jazz musicians, but they couldn’t impress me more than the talent of our high school instrumentalists. 

As a former saxophone player, I especially appreciated those solos.  When I played the saxophone, a good performance was when my instrument squeaked just a few times through the course of the song.  Krista Yourstone’s saxophone does not squeak.  Instead, it emits beautiful music.  She plays and performs with such maturity it’s easy to forget that she’s only a high school junior, and that she’s playing for a grade and the satisfaction of doing her best

Click here for a schedule of all the band’s performances.  I recommend you find a way to see these kids perform.

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