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Concert series to kick off with kids' improv orchestra
(by Rae Burger - June 18, 2008)
If children in the St. Louis area are tired of the usual summertime activities, the Ivory Perry Park Concert Series has something new in store.
Hamiet Bluiett, world-renowned baritone saxophone player, and Stanley Coleman, Brittany Woods Middle School jazz-band conductor, are hosting a free youth music camp called ImprovisingYouthOrchestra June 16 through 20 at the Brittany Woods Middle School in University City.
“I want to do this because I can give kids something to do during the summer and bring their music playing to a new level,” Coleman said.
The camp runs for three hours a day for five days. On June 22, the campers, along with Bluiett and Coleman, will perform a concert at Ivory Perry Park on the Commerce Bank Stage, 800 N. Belt Ave., demonstrating what everyone learned during the week.
“We’ve been talking about doing something like this for awhile now, but it’s finally being done,” Bluiett said. “This camp is a world premiere. It has never been done before.”
Bluiett helped found and is part of the World Saxophone Quartet. The World Saxophone Quartet is best known for its group improvisations. He also is one of the co-founders of the Black Artists Group. Bluiett’s discography includes Four Now, Plays Duke Ellington and Requiem for Julius.
“I am thrilled to be working with Bluiett.” Coleman said. “He is a legend. I look to him as a mentor. He taught me quite a bit.”
Bluiett said he hopes to inspire children through the camp and complete his dream in music and his career.
“The kids have to have a love for [music] and want to do it,” Bluiett said. “We want to do it all together as a community, as a family. The kids are a part of my dream.”
In hopes of making the dream big, the camp’s attendance will be between 40 and 50 kids. The campers’ ages range from 12 to 18 and are from all over the St. Louis area. The musicians have to have their own instruments and play on an advanced level, a skill that includes reading sheet music.
“Kids can do anything,” Coleman said. “The music is going to be original, and I want them to have fun with it.”
Bluiett wrote Suite Children, which is the piece the children are playing, but he said he hopes to be able to use improvisation during the concert.
“The music’s been in my head for awhile now, at least 10 years,” Bluiett said. “But I like to be able to move with the music as it moves.”
There will be all types of instruments within the orchestra, from violins to trombones and from cellos to percussion.
“It’s going to be an orchestra with a big band,” Coleman said. “I think that’s the best way to describe it.”
Bluiett said he and Coleman are teaching the kids discipline, teamwork and how to let notes come from within themselves rather than from the page.
“Part of improvisation is learning how to let the children go and then bring them back if it gets out of hand,” Bluiett said.
Bluiett said he wants to be able to teach them improvisation as a team, so that every member of the team has his or her own sound, but the team is still in it together. Bluiett said he believes that he along with the campers, the music and Coleman are “calibrated together,” so everything has to be in sync with one another.
Bluiett said he also wants to teach the children about the history of music and about talented artists throughout history.
“Kids should know about the great artists in the world,” Bluiett said. “They should at least be able to recognize great music when they hear it.”
The Union Avenue Christian Church plans the events for the five-year-old concert series and brought back Bluiett for his second performance. The concert series’ next performance is on July 22 featuring singer Anita Jackson. The series concludes on August 26 with Kim Massie and Charles Glenn.
“We’re a church used to taking on big things like this,” Duncan said. “We wanted to be able to bring life back to the park through the community and arts.”
The concert is free and open to the public. During the concert, other types of entertainment will be available, including Frisbee decorating. There will also be a variety of food vendors. All performances begin at 6 p.m. For information visit www.ivoryperrypark.com
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