[Dixielandjazz] School Assembly Programs

[Stephen Barbone]

Dear List mates;

I am in the final stages of successfully completing a contract signing
with several local school districts to bring a jazz music appreciation
assembly program to kids at the grammar school level in the Philadelphia
Metro Area.

I've done a few assembly programs for High School Kids, but this is
mostly to be for kids from Kindergarten through 5th grade. ( 5 to 10
years old). SA few will be for kids in 6th through 10th grade (11 to 15
years old)

Is there any advice out there for me? An assembly will be 45 minutes
long and the Schools want some music and some verbal content.

Like, will the Barney Song work if we play it straight, explain quickly
how it can be jazzed up and then jazz it up? What other songs do these
kids know that we can convert to jazz?

I think I want to concentrate on the music, the fact that it is a
uniquely American Art Form, discuss Louis Armstrong and talk about
musical freedom.

What else might you suggest we cover, given that their attention spans
will be short and too much detail will quickly bore them?

GOAL? To get the kids interested in Jazz, America's Music, when they are
young, and I welcome your suggestions.

Cheers,
Steve

PS. There is money out there to fund these kinds of programs. Suggest
others check it out if you want a "feel good" project. Will be 15
programs in the fall and 15 more in the spring.