SWING MAKES YOU SING
Swing Makes You Sing in Preschools!
Swing Makes You Sing in Concert at NYC Elementary Public Schools!
Swing Makes You Sing Virtually for 6 Elementary School Classrooms!
Swing Makes You Sing in Preschools!
Swing Makes You Sing in the Middle School Classroom!
Swing Makes You Sing Virtually for elementary school kids - part of Midori Celebrate Music Program!
Swing Makes You Sing in Concert - Outdoors!
Swing Makes You Sing in Concert - Outdoors!
About
Swing Makes You Sing! brings interactive virtual, in-person, and hybrid jazz performances and jazz education workshops to under-served youth in Grades PreK-12, focusing on public schools and communities where kids have little or no access to the arts. We focus on kids who are starved for hope and joy associated with music-making, for meaningful free high quality music education programming.
The prolonged social isolation of the COVID Pandemic has had a negative psychological impact on young children - accompanied by academic decline and social inequity in access. We believe strongly that the arts are a powerful tool in combating these issues. These young audiences are particularly important to us as we are committed educators dedicated to promoting and preserving the jazz art-form and using it to uplift and educate children about the joy, exploration and democratic ideals inherent in the music. The main goal of our organization is the direct cultural engagement and dialogue with children who lack access to such opportunities particularly in the age of Covid-19.
Swing Makes You Sing! explores key elements of jazz– the blues, swing, improvisation, the rhythm section, and more – featuring musical concepts – as well as life stories, and songs from the repertoire of such great musicians as Sarah Vaughnan, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Dizzie Gillespie, Bessie Smith and more! The program also features movement (e.g. swing and tap dancing) and art-making as a way to experience jazz music! The students sing, dance, and snap along with the interactive presentation – while making art, writing songs, learning dance moves and learning about important ingredients of what makes jazz a unique and important American music genre! Students will also hear about how jazz speaks to everyday social skills such as listening, taking turns, leadership – as well as broader societal constructs such as democracy, culture, and community!
Swing Makes You Sing! represents jazz as an African American art form that grew beyond it’s community and ultimately embraces values of diversity, equality and inclusion. Seeing such diversity in practice represented among our artist educators (and reflecting our audience's diversity) will inspire the kids and make jazz more relevant to them.
Swing Makes You Sing is a recipient of Chamber Music America Digital Residency award - and has been presented in over 20 public schools and communities in NY, SC, UT and internationally. Swing Makes You Sing is one of the partner ensembles of Midori & Friends Celebrate! Music program which brings engaging world music ensembles and corresponding workshops into New York City public schools.
