ABU DHABI // A group of teenage pupils were given the rare treat of a private music and dance lesson from the Duke Ellington Big Band, which is visiting from New York. The 15-member ensemble at the American Community School and about 100 of their classmates from grades 7 to 11 were treated to a workshop by the American jazz and blues band yesterday, followed by a private concert.
As part of the Seminars in Mastering the Arts programme, which is sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf), the 15-member band took the pupils through a rendition of Ellington's C-Jam Blues, accompanied by singing and dancing. Hoda al Khamis Kanoo, the founder of Admaf, said: "To nurture our creative youth, we must support them by providing opportunities to experience different influences, cultures and expressions.
"The Duke Ellington Big Band is known for its educational initiatives in its native New York, and it will play an important role in the artistic education of our youth as it brings the legacy of a true musical master to Abu Dhabi." John Salminen, the school's director of bands, said that the Ellington Band's visit was a unique and valuable opportunity. "Sometimes it's tough to get the kids to listen to jazz and blues music," he said, adding, "to hear it up close and personal is wonderful and to work with them one-on-one is a great learning experience".
Victor Goines, the New York band's director, said the pupils were learning a lot from the experience. "Education is a dialogue between multiple parties, and from any kind of exposure to new ideas you are bound to learn if you are concentrating," he said. He and the other musicians helped the students by demonstrating on their instruments as well as by giving them individual tips on how to get the best sound.
The late Duke Ellington's granddaughter, Mercedes Ellington, 70, hosted the dance section of the workshop, guiding six students through a variety of steps. Finally, Andre DeShields, a singer and dancer, gave an impromptu performance of St Louis Blues for the singing part of the workshop. He said: "It is my responsibility as an artist to explain and demonstrate to the succeeding generation how we got to the place we are now.
"Plus, we all share the common thread of humanity and there is no better way than the universal language of music to express this." @Email:aseaman@thenational.ae