Lower School Global Music Unit Dives Deep into Jazz

During the 2023-24 school year, renowned music educator and jazz aficionado Doug Goodkin spent two weeks at TAS as a Visiting Artist and teacher. During his visit, he worked with students in every division, with particular focus on the Lower School.

Goodkin introduced students and teachers to the genre of jazz and ultimately organized a performance that featured the students performing alongside the Upper School Jazz Ensemble—an event that was met with great enthusiasm! Along the way, he also inspired many students to read his latest book, “Jazz, Joy & Justice: The Stories Every American Should Know.”

Building on the students’ joyful experience with jazz, the Lower School Music Department selected the genre as their focus for their Global Music Unit during this semester. Each Global Music Unit takes a multi-disciplinary approach to a genre of music, creating a deeper, more personal learning experience. Throughout the 3-month learning experience, the curriculum featured child-friendly jazz compositions such as “Humpty Dumpty,” “Who Stole the Cookies?” and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” all handpicked by Goodkin. The students mastered and performed these compositions during their regular concerts for parents in the fall.

To complement this learning, the Lower School librarians curated a special section of kid-friendly books about American jazz greats. Each book included QR codes, allowing students to listen to an artist’s music while reading about their lives. These books highlighted the social struggles for freedom and equality faced by Black American blues and jazz artists, and how their artistry emerged as a response to these inequities. Our eager readers learned how music is a fusion of art, society and culture, how slavery and the blues formed the foundation of jazz, and about segregation, Rosa Parks and the American Civil Rights movement.

Finally, after reading, performing, and researching jazz music and its history, Grades 3, 4, and 5 gathered in the auditorium for a special performance by the Upper School Jazz Ensemble, featuring guest performers. To provide context on how blues served as the foundation of jazz and modern music, Communications Officer, Jim Klar, teamed up with Grade 5 Teacher, Ben Thompson, to perform a blues standard on harmonica, guitar, and vocals. Accompanied by the Upper School Jazz Ensemble, Grade 5 Teacher, Gwen Brewer, showcased her vocal skills on jazz songs. The show concluded with a stellar performance by the Upper School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Upper School Band Teacher, Luke Dallagrana.

The students' journey through jazz was both educational and deeply moving, as they not only learned to perform the music but also explored its rich and often challenging history. One student reflected, “I remember the hardships that slaves went through, and I’ll always be grateful for what masterpieces they created.” The history of jazz left a lasting impression on the students, with one sharing, “One thing I will always remember about jazz is the amazing history behind all this music,” another thoughtfully added, “This form of music was created from the ashes of slavery.” These reflections highlight how the unit successfully combined performance, history, and personal growth, ensuring that students not only played the music but also appreciated the profound legacy behind it.