Tom Ross-Ray DeWitt Mentor Program
The Pikes Peak Jazz and Swing Society in-school education program is called the Tom Toss-Ray DeWitt Mentor Program, in honor of two local musicians who were great jazz teachers.
The Pikes Peak Jazz and Swing Society in-school education program is called the Tom Toss-Ray DeWitt Mentor Program, in honor of two local musicians who were great jazz teachers.
For K-5th students, Mark Raphael and Jerry Brown have created the "Mark and Jerry Show." It is geared to the attention span of this age group and provides jazz instruction including call and response, how a trumpet works, who was Louis Armstrong, an original blues called "Green Eggs and Ham" (for Dr. Suess Day), notes of a scale and jazz standard "When The Saints Go Marching In," a bit of geography (a ukulele from Hawaii), and sing-a-longs with which they are familiar.
For middle and high school students, PPJASS professional member musician mentors work with school jazz bands in Instrumental Mentor Clinics. Each mentor is responsible for a section (trumpets, saxes, trombones, etc.) and works directly with that section to teach how to better play together, dynamics, improvisation, and other important areas of performing with a band. After individual section work, the band is brought back together and given further instruction on working as a team. These programs are offered free of charge to the recipients and are sustained by donations from the PPJASS members to pay the musicians a minimum fee for their time and travel.
In our Vocal Mentor Program, Professional Jazz vocalists can offer private lessons or conduct clinics to expose vocal students to the technical aspects of vocal performance and improvisational singing.
For middle and high school students, PPJASS professional member musician mentors work with school jazz bands in Instrumental Mentor Clinics. Each mentor is responsible for a section (trumpets, saxes, trombones, etc.) and works directly with that section to teach how to better play together, dynamics, improvisation, and other important areas of performing with a band. After individual section work, the band is brought back together and given further instruction on working as a team. These programs are offered free of charge to the recipients and are sustained by donations from the PPJASS members to pay the musicians a minimum fee for their time and travel.
In our Vocal Mentor Program, Professional Jazz vocalists can offer private lessons or conduct clinics to expose vocal students to the technical aspects of vocal performance and improvisational singing.
Want to bring the Mentor Program into your school?
Local professional jazz musician members of the Pikes Peak Jazz And Swing Society are pleased to offer their services to our area school jazz band programs.
These programs are offered to area schools FREE of charge thanks to donations from PPJASS members. These funds pay the musicians a minimum fee for their time and travel.
For questions and/or to schedule a clinic at your school, contact:
Maureen Otto, Program Coordinator: motto8@mesanetworks.net - 719-685-9451
Please include the following information in your inquiry:
Local professional jazz musician members of the Pikes Peak Jazz And Swing Society are pleased to offer their services to our area school jazz band programs.
- Clinics can offer specialists on each instrument - 7 in all - to address specific areas on each instrument; dynamics, improvisation, and other important areas of performing with a jazz band as well as demonstrating and performing for the students.
- Individual sectional clinics using fewer mentors; for example, a rhythm sectional only, a horn sectional, soloists performance, etc.
- PPJASS mentors are available as guest soloists with school jazz ensembles.
- PPJASS jazz combos are available to share concerts with school jazz ensembles and to perform concerts for school students.
These programs are offered to area schools FREE of charge thanks to donations from PPJASS members. These funds pay the musicians a minimum fee for their time and travel.
For questions and/or to schedule a clinic at your school, contact:
Maureen Otto, Program Coordinator: motto8@mesanetworks.net - 719-685-9451
Please include the following information in your inquiry:
- choice of 2 to 3 dates
- time of day your band meets
- type of clinic requested
- number of students
- instrumentation requested
- special parking and sign-in information