6th & Jazz Program Educates 15,000 Sixth Graders and Spotlights African American Musicians
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts continues the tradition of hosting nearly 15,000 sixth graders from across the region for the annual 6th and Jazz educational program.
Hosted during Black History Month this year, 6th and Jazz immersed students from Osceola and Orange County through a one-hour interactive show, developed and presented in collaboration with NEWorks Productions.
The program included live performances, entertaining multimedia effects and immersive teaching techniques about the roots of Jazz. Students were introduced to the different styles through recordings and live renditions of compositions by African American jazz legends such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie.
Nolan Williams, 6th and Jazz co-creator, sat down with us to discuss the origin of jazz and the importance of continuing the program.
Why the genre of jazz?
When you think about jazz and what it represents, it is one of the earliest genres of American music. Jazz was created by young African Americans and uptown musicians in New Orleans in the late 1890s, who were searching for a new sound, playing with music, melody, rhythm and harmony.
Why did you want to continue the partnership with Dr. Phillips Center to reimagine 6th & Jazz?
Coming together to introduce this indigenous form of music, this is when its history, its culture, its power, allows students to fully engage and immerse themselves in learning. From the time they walk into the auditorium, we are actively engaging them in the process of music.
Why is it important for students to experience 6th and Jazz?
6th and Jazz highlights one of the earliest American art forms – jazz. Jazz has now found a place around the world and it’s important to celebrate this art form in an immersive way. I hope students can feel what one of our young scholars shared with an audience captain. She looked at her and said, “Am I falling in love with jazz? I think I’m falling in love with jazz.” That makes it worth it.
How does 6th & Jazz deliver the vision, Arts for Every Life®?
Jazz music is for everyone and it’s great to be able to bring a program like this to sixth graders. The idea of jazz is that the genre is for every life, which aligns with the idea of leveraging the power of music in the arts for social good. Those two principles really come together.
Be sure to check out more work by Nolan Williams on Facebook and Instagram and learn more about NEWorks Productions.
This year’s program was generously supported by AdventHealth, Chick-fil-A Greater Orlando Area, Experience Kissimmee, Fifth Third Bank, the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and Greta C. and Sean M. Stephens Family.
“To see the impact Dr. Phillips Center is making in the community specifically with youth and exposing them to rich culture at a young age is incredibly inspiring,” said Greg Dryden, Fifth Third Bank’s Orlando city president.
“This closely aligns with Fifth Third Bank’s commitment to helping build strong and sustainable communities through financial education and access. We are proud to work alongside Dr. Phillips Center to help create a thriving and vibrant place to live for the next generation and generations after that.”
AdventHealth School of the Arts at Dr. Phillips Center
6th & Jazz is one of many programs we host to expose students of all ages to the arts. Staying true to our vision, Arts for Every Life®, we provide eye-opening, educational experiences to people from all backgrounds through community outreach, theater industry experience, classes and camps.
In addition to 6th & Jazz, our community outreach initiatives include two free five-day artist residencies for young adults (Pilobolus @ Play and Spoken Word), The Second City residency for students on autism spectrum, the Disney Musicals in Schools program for Orange, Osceola and Seminole county public elementary schools and the Project WoW collaborative education initiative to integrate science and arts across the existing preschool curriculum.
We're all about helping young artists find ways to pursue their passions at the next level. Through our AdventHealth School of the Arts, students of all ages and skill levels can explore various performing arts classes or discover new passions and sharpen skills during our summer camps.
Young artists can also gain firsthand theater industry experience by joining one of our performing arts groups, pre-professional programs or auditioning for one of our Youth & Pre-Professional Productions.
Learn more about the Dr. Phillips Center education initiatives here.