It’s no secret many students at Elon University strive for a balance between work and play, but for those in Elon’s Jazz Ensemble the 17th Annual Jazz Festival Concert was the best of both worlds. After a weekend of workshops and clinics with grade school bands, the ensemble got to perform with some special guests.
The festival, which took place during the entire weekend, was meant to help grade school musicians develop an interest in collegiate music. Those involved in the festival could also give critiques to young musicians so they can improve their abilities. Saturday night’s concert celebrated the end of the weekend’s festivities.
The atmosphere in McCrary Theatre Saturday could be described as a celebration. Jon Metzger, director of the ensemble and music professor, was in high spirits as he spoke to the audience about the pieces and led the ensemble. He even performed during the concert.
There was nothing flashy to the performance. The festival was not supposed to be a spectacle of the eye; it was a spectacle of the ear. The performers bobbed and tapped along to the music, exchanging sly grins throughout. The concert did not attempt to impress the listeners. Instead, it shared a love for jazz music while playing with and for peers. This relaxed reunion was just what Ethan Luke, a senior music education major, was hoping for.
“I have greatly missed hearing my talented cohorts this semester,” Luke said. “This will be my first opportunity of the year to listen to my friends again. Playing jazz is a very communal experience.”
The communal experience was evident in the way the ensemble played, whether it was with the entire group or in smaller units.
“The festival is a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know professional musicians who are doing what I would like to do after I graduate – make a living making music,” said junior Alicia Varcoe. “The clinicians can teach you a lot, from how to practice to how to act in rehearsal situations.”
This year’s professional musicians were saxophone player Glenn Cashman and jazz guitarist Richard Reoder, both of whom worked in the festival as clinicians. Reoder also wrote a song for the ensemble to play during the concert.
The prospect of working with these established musicians excited many of the ensemble members, and Metzger said he knows how the performers benefit from time with these musicians.
“When the pros come, it adds something more,” Metzger said. “After the clinics end, the students can have a jam session with them. It is beneficial to put that kind of teaching into it.”
The festival was a chance to instill a love of music into grade school performers and the concert was a celebration of music within the department. As the Elon Jazz Ensemble closed what seemed to be a successful weekend, it glorified the ensemble’s love for the music and the hope that it will continue into the future.