Two middle schoolers in UPrep’s Advanced Jazz class, a total of 13 students, traveled to Idaho. They attended the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival on April 17-24.
“This is a very big festival and some of the best bands in the country come,” jazz teacher Jason Parker said.
Out of hundreds of schools, UPrep placed modestly around the middle of the pack. Given that this was the Advanced Jazz class, which is usually all upper schoolers, it might be a surprise to realize a few middle schoolers also attended this tournament.
“I played saxophone since sixth/fifth grade,” eighth grader Henry Lesh said.
Eighth-grader Desmond Payne-Goldman plays drums for Advanced Jazz
“My dad is a big musician. So are my mom and my sisters, too. So I just kind of picked it up and started to play,” Payne-Goldman said.
Not only did these middle schoolers gain the knowledge of how to travel as musicians, but they also experienced other benefits.
“This experience was really great to create a way to connect with other people, especially people that I don’t see on a daily basis like some of the seniors,” Lesh said.
“There were concerts like every night of really good jazz musicians, so I also felt like I had a renewed passion because I saw those people play. It also really motivated me to get better,” Payne-Goldman said.
A third middle schooler in Advanced Jazz, Oliver Schofield, could not attend the tournament.
“We were sad that Oliver Schofield wasn’t able to come on the trip,” Parker said.
Schofield is an Advanced Jazz bass player.
“This is my eighth year playing stringed instruments,” Schofield said.
Not just any middle schooler can join upper school jazz, it doesn’t happen very often.
“I would say it’s pretty rare. Over the course of my time here, I think I’ve only had eighth graders in the band three out of the 12 years,” Parker said.
Having middle schoolers in a prominently upper school class can raise some challenges. These are challenges that Parker is confident they can overcome.
“I think the difficulties come in maturity level and being ready for bigger challenges. But that’s why I’m pretty selective with the middle schoolers that I put in that band because it’s much more active and much more intense than the other band,” Parker said.