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November 2007
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In 2007, Birch Creek’s Artists in the Schools brought jazz faculty members Reggie Thomas, piano, and Rick Haydon, guitar, back to Door County school districts, presenting jazz workshops incorporating the blues, scatting, improvising, and rhythm internalization.
Birch Creek has joined the increasing nationwide effort to bring music programs, performers and clinicians into public schools. Jazz was the focus of Artists in the Schools outreach in 2006 and 2007, and Thomas and Haydon provided assistance to students and educators.
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RICK HAYDON is a jazz guitar performer and educator who serves on the faculty of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Haydon is also a faculty member of the Band Directors Academy for Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been on the Birch Creek faculty since 2000.
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REGGIE THOMAS is a jazz piano performer and educator (shown on bass guitar at the Sturgeon Bay clinic). Thomas is professor of jazz studies at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville; a clinician and judge for the Essentially Ellington component of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been on the Birch Creek faculty since 1987. |
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| STURGEON BAY HIGH SCHOOL Sturgeon Bay |
Band Director - Heidi Hintz
Choir Director - David Robertson |
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| The Sturgeon Bay High School Jazz Band is directed by Reggie on the auditorium stage, while choir students listen and participate from the audience. |
Rick and a Sturgeon Bay drummer James Arbter work on jazz accompaniment techniques. |
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SOUTHERN DOOR HIGH SCHOOL Brussels |
Band Director - Kristine Heyer |
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Southern Door High School Jazz Band runs through a chart under Reggie's direction.
Rick instructs the rhythm section. |
Rick adds clarification to the guitar part. |
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SEVASTOPOL SCHOOLS Sturgeon Bay |
Elementary Music Teacher - Cheryl Pfister
Band Director - Mark Seelhorst |
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| Rick provides the groove on guitar (off camera) while Reggie gets the Sevastopol High School Band to internalize the beat. |
Sevastopol 5th and 6th Grade Music Students
welcome "Birch Creek Dudes!" with a sign on the dry erase board in the band room.
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At Sevastopol Schools, the artists-in-residence met with fifth and sixth grade elementary music classes, and worked with high school band students on rhythm, feel, and groove...essential elements of jazz.
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| Sevastopol sixth grade students are "feelin' the music" as they dance to Rick and Reggie's lively beat. |
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GIBRALTAR HIGH SCHOOL Fish Creek |
Band Director - Charlie Eckhard |
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Rick and Reggie play some blues selections to Gibraltar High School Jazz Studies students, and emphasize the importance of listening to a wide variety of musicians and styles in order to develop an individual jazz style. Students perform an original composition for the visiting artists. |
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Band director Charlie Eckhardt introduces Rick and Reggie to the Gibraltar High School Band. |
These two jazz artists add their names to a growing list of Birch Creek faculty members who have served as rich resources for Door County public schools without cost to the schools.
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