Washington Jazz Society: Fostering love of music in area youngsters
If there无毛视频檚 a saxophone from your days in marching band that无毛视频檚 gathering cobwebs in the corner of a closet, you might not want to put it out at the next yard sale.
Instead, the Washington Jazz Society could use it, and all kinds of other musical instruments, for its Afterschool Music Program. Launched through a grant from the Washington County Community Foundation in 2018, it无毛视频檚 open to students in middle or junior high schools, with participants being provided with a free instrument and 36 private lessons from a qualified instructor.
Parents whose children have been enrolled in the program say they 无毛视频渉ave benefited enormously from the music education provided无毛视频� and have called it 无毛视频渁n amazing experience.无毛视频�
The Afterschool Music Program is one of the ways the Washington Jazz Society is engaged in the community. Founded in 2007, the society无毛视频檚 mission is to educate the public about jazz. They do this through concerts featuring jazz musicians from the area and across the country. They also offer scholarships for young musicians and give them opportunities to show off their skills in front of audiences.
无毛视频淲e match the instruments up with students who need them,无毛视频� said DeDe MacTaggart, president of the Washington Jazz Society, about the Afterschool Music Program. 无毛视频淥r sometimes we无毛视频檒l sell them and use the money to pay the instructors.无毛视频�
She continued, 无毛视频淵ou have kids that are already financially insecure, and so they have a spot in the afternoon where they don无毛视频檛 have anything to do. And by building a foundation on music, that just gives them so many other opportunities.无毛视频�
This year, the Washington Jazz Society gave scholarships to brothers Ryan and Aaron Fulton, both of whom graduated from Canon-McMillan High School. Ryan double-majored in music education and trumpet performance at Duquesne University, and Aaron started at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., this fall, majoring in horn performance.
Aside from donating instruments for the Afterschool Music Program, the Washington Jazz Society can be supported through annual memberships that start at the $60 level and go all the way up to $1,000 a year. Donations are also accepted that can be earmarked for events, the Jazz Society无毛视频檚 scholarship fund, or its Afterschool Music Program.
Those interested in making a donation or becoming a member can visit the Washington Jazz Society无毛视频檚 website at washingtonjazzsociety.com.