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So when I was in third grade, my parents took me to a concert and I saw a woman
named Erica von Kleist playing this amazing ballad on the alto saxophone.
Seeing that that was a way to express yourself I said, "Dad, I'm gonna do that
when I grow up." I'm so in love with the saxophone, like, there's always something
to improve upon and something to figure out like it's just a neverending
experience. As I was looking back on my time as an undergraduate, I noticed a few
areas that I wanted to dig deeper into musically so it was just a natural fit
that they were kind of highlights of the the Juilliard Jazz Department.
♫ ♫ ♫ [jazz music]
A typical day at Julliard Jazz is exciting and it's usually full. We get the opportunity
to work with amazing, world-class faculty members and guest artists every single
day. So usually in the mornings before I have class, I try to block out an hour or so
to come to school to warm up or practice or do some homework and today I actually
have scheduled that time to work with a saxophonist who's visiting from Brazil.
"Yeah, that was awesome!"
So Jazz and Business is really interesting and unique because we get a
kind of round robin lecture series from executives at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
These business lectures are really key to helping us move on as professionals
after school because we wouldn't get this type of inside look at a huge
successful organization anywhere else.
"He didn't tell you how to play, but he did tell you what not to play."
Next we go to one of my favorite classes with Marc Cary. It's Advanced Jazz Improvisation.
"Finish that....BAM! Now you're in a whole different thing. So let's use some of these tools that we know."
All the first year masters jazz students are together as an ensemble.
It's kind of like a "be ready for anything" situation.
So, it's sort of taking someone's musical idea okay they threw it out there don't
say no or don't say but. Yes and. Then that just becomes this unique moment
that will never happen again.
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Shortly after Jazz Improvisation, I have my weekly private lesson with Dan Block.
He's really training me to understand, like, what am I bringing to
the table when I jump into a performance. How can I be more definitive? How
can I be more clear? And it seems like we are, you know, working on the fundamental
elements but we're digging so deep into them, it's a whole other world.
So then I kind of cram a quick lunch in before I go to ear training. That's just a good
time for me to get any phone calls or emails done and just kind of recharge for a minute.
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Ear training is boot camp. It's interesting because it's a mix of other
first-year master's students, too, so it's kind of fun you know we run into people
during the day and we're like "OK, do you want to sing that quickly?"
So it's a team effort, and then we get in there and we're like, "Okay, we're ready to
do this." And everyone claps at the end of each performance so it's fun.
[singing] "That was beautiful, you two!"
So next up, we have saxophone studio class and that's when all of the Juilliard Jazz
saxophonists get together which is really great. All of the saxophone faculty
are there. They rotate who's kind of facilitating it, and today it's Ron Blake
talking about implementing vibrato and swing into your playing, and it's fun to
get together. It's sort of just like a little saxophone party.
Today is a big day because we have the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra performing at
Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola over at Jazz at Lincoln Center. I'm super excited. My
parents came in to see the concert at Dizzy's tonight. We head over for
soundcheck a few hours before the gig, and Dizzy's is one of my favorite jazz
clubs to play at just because the vibe is so cool. With Juilliard Jazz Orchestra
when it's been such a team effort and a community effort and presentation, it
does feel really nice to put that music out there into the world.
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A really exciting aspect of the Julliard jazz program is that, you know, our
fearless leader is Wynton Marsalis and he said "Everyone's here because they can
play" and "Let's see what we can do and what we can create together." The variety
of strengths is really inspiring for people who are staying in New York to
freelance afterwards. That just gives you a built-in network of musicians to draw
from. It's like we're the family that's happening right now and then we
go on and then that connection stays with you.
♫ ♫ ♫ [jazz music]
[applause]