Jazzaar - 1992 - 2010 'Learning on the Bandstand'

'Learning on the Bandstand'

'Learning on the Bandstand' en/de

Description

Jazzaar is synonymous to 'Learning on the Bandstand'. This gifted youth development and cultural exchange project has been happening in Aarau, Switzerland since 1992. Previously known as 'Bands Across the Seas' (BATS)^TM, the project is a brainchild of Fritz Renold, the musical director of the festival, "jazzaar concerts".

The concept is such that professional musicians of high calibre in the international music scene are brought together with selected young and aspiring student musicians between the ages of 14 and 24 years old to study and prepare a musical work, either original music that is specially composed or ‘standards’ that are specifically arranged and orchestrated for this orchestra for a final performance often as premiers before a large public.

Through this concept, a ‘situated learning’ platform is created for young talents that's called 'learning on the bandstand' under the auspices of professional coaches who impart the tools of making music as they work together and bring a musical production to a completion! In the Jazz world the past century has seen music masters such as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis or Art Blakey, (among others) who have proven this concept by recruiting young and talented musicians who eventually became professionals in their own rights, contributing to the progress of music.

The professionals invited for the project are working musicians from all over the world as well as from the Swiss music scene. Randy Brecker (USA), Bobby Watson (USA), Christian Jacob (FR), Willie Kotoun (CH), Victor Lewis (USA), Tommy Smith (SCOTLAND), Airto Moreira & Flora Purim (BRAZIL) and Benny Golson (USA) are some of the names of international musicians and pedagogues that have contributed to the project in the past. The student musicians are generally Swiss residents though an exchange programme with other countries have occurred in the past.

The 'Learning on the Bandstand' educational programme continues to prove its efficacy by the evidence of its own prodigies. Drummer Matthias Künzli (New York) or saxophonist/band leader Rafael Baier, harpist Eliane Zweifel, saxophonist and educator Phil Hilfiker (American School of Modern Music in Paris) are just a few to name among 135 participants over the past 18 years who have as a result chosen music as their profession.

This programme on the other hand is also an important reality check platform for young talents not equipped for the road as professional musicians to redirect their destinies earlier in life with other skills than music performance for better job satisfaction for their future, yet with music remaining as a hobby.

Activities involved

During the week long preparation, study of the music is carried out through daily activities such as sectional and orchestral rehearsals, workshops, private instructions as well as personal interaction between the professional and the student musician. Besides work, hang out and jam sessions in the evenings add to the bonding between musicians young and older. Since there is more than one musical work that is being produced during this week, participants also have the chance to observe other rehearsals and attend concerts presented by their mentors and peers.

A documentation about jazzaar and its 'Learning on the Bandstand' application is now available for purchase online!

jazzaar 1992 - 2007   eine Dokumentation
                                   a documentation

Comments from musicians

“Bands Across the Sea” is committed to, and definitely succeeds in – nurturing students deep emotional joy in the moment-to-moment processes of music-making and listening (which are often difficult and challenging). Joy-in-learning is essential to learning music (and all other subjects) effectively. “Bands Across the Sea” protects and preserves the emotional dimensions of teaching, learning, and curriculum while also instilling deep knowledge of the doing, creating, and social-cultural history of jazz and related styles.
- Prof. Dr. David J. Elliott, B. Mus., M. Mus., B. Ed., PhD
Professor and Director of Music Education
New York University

The Elliott Report (PDF download)
A review of H. Renold's thesis
- BATS Curriculum

It was an eye opening experience for me - I watched with delight as all the compositions took shape and how the confidence of the young players increased. You picked a superb team of players, you wrote some great music and with it all you both have so much to be proud of.
- Dr. Ian Darrington of IAJE

The feature that makes this festival so interesting to both the musicians and the public, is the fact that new music is not only presented every year, it is presented every night. The music presented has always been first rate, original, and challenging. This concept is sorely missing in other festivals. I hope that many other works will be presented in the future.
- Randy Brecker (USA)

It is no secret that culture, in nearly all of its aspects, is at a deplorably low level, worldwide. The only way to begin changing this situation is to replace the sick things with healthy ones, to replace instant gratification types of amusements with those which permit and, in fact demand, use of the individual's intellectual and sensitivity-oriented faculties. In that case, "Jazz" is a wonder-medication.
And jazzaar Concerts Aarau is the place where it can be found.
- Bob Freedman (USA)

…The music was challenging. I especially enjoyed Michael Abene's composition, which, at first, I thought, too difficult for the students but they really astounded me at the performance. The format of a Concerto for young classical and jazz musicians is especially exciting to me. Dave Taylor was respectfully brilliant.
This format continued through Fritz's composition ‘Spring-time’ adding the African elements of percussion and voices. Again the combination between the two worlds of jazz and classical became one. A thoroughly enjoyable experience and composition - A symbiosis of cultures and people!
- Dr. Tommy Smith (Scotland)