For one day, orchestra and jazz students at Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School got to experience learning from a world-renowned jazz violinist when Regina Carter spent the day Monday in workshops with the students.
“Regina Carter is one of the pre-eminent jazz violinists of our times,” Director of Creative Arts Kevin Scully said. “This opportunity is something I could not imagine passing up. The fact that our students are able to learn from someone of this caliber is truly amazing. Our students live in such a busy time and focus so much on the rigors of day-to-day life. To have this day is so important to our students so that they can enjoy the highest quality of music in a hands-on manner that is not replicable in other circumstances.”
The workshop was sponsored by the Education Foundation and Landmark on Main Street.
Carter said the effort to bring Carter — who has worked with a plethora of artists, recorded her own albums and won a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship award in 2006 —to Schreiber was a collaboration between Landmark on Main Street, which originally booked Carter for a performance, The Ed Foundation, the orchestra faculty, and himself.
“Landmark on Main Street has been committed to working with the Port Washington School District for years,” Scully said. “With the tireless efforts of Executive Director Laura Mogul, Ed Foundation President Paula Whitman, and Carter, we are thrilled that this worked out. Additionally, our administration and Board of education are extremely supportive of these wonderful opportunities for our students.”
Through their collaboration, student musicians perfected their skills with Carter through participatory workshops that encompassed the elements of jazz, blues and pop style.
Carter’s “Intro to Improvisation” workshop taught students about the element of improvisation in blues and jazz music.
During the seminar, a group of 25 students performed on stage with Carter as she taught the audience a 12-note blues scale with their instruments and discussed form and call-and-response. Immersing the audience, student-musicians incorporated lyrics to the musical beat.
Carter also held a “String Section” clinic elevating the performance of the orchestra.
Only available to the symphony orchestra, musicians rehearsed “Mountain Spring” where she helped the group enhance their pop and jazz technique.
“This is an extremely exciting event for Schreiber High School students,” Scully said.
Scully also said the students were very excited and were practicing diligently and understood this was an important opportunity to learn techniques and skills, and the importance of hard work and dedication.
“Most importantly, you cannot replicate hearing the sound of a musician like Ms. Carter on a recording. When the students hear her sound live and in person, it will stay with them forever,” Scully said.
Following her workshops, Carter enjoyed lunch with the symphony orchestra answering questions and giving advice to students pursuing careers in music.
“Be open to hearing different music. I’m involved in music I never thought I’d be able to perform because I was open to different music and didn’t limit myself,” Carter said. “Do whatever it is you love to do and the work will come to you.”
