Artists in the Schools
Birch Creek independently sustains an outreach program that reaches Door County public school music students each year. Birch Creek faculty members conduct seminars, perform, and demonstrate techniques based on the students' learning levels. The willingness of our summer faculty members and public school music teachers to partner together for student learning has made this educational outreach program a success.
Teachers: You may find Wisconsin Model Academic Standards that will align Birch Creek's Jazz Outreach Program with state standards on the Department of Public Instruction Web site. Or, send us an Email if you would like to ask one of our jazz artists a question about your school jazz program.
November 2011
Reggie Thomas and Rick Haydon, Birch Creek jazz faculty members, returned to Door County in November 2011 for Birch Creek’s annual Artist in the Schools program. Thomas and Haydon conducted a half-day workshop at Birch Creek for rhythm section students from Gibraltar, Sevastopol, Sturgeon Bay, and Southern Door school systems that focused on “grooves.” Students received hands-on training in funk, calypso, bossa nova, and New Orleans march grooves during the morning workshop.The artists also visited Sevastopol schools and worked with 50 high school and middle school students during their residency. It was the 11th year of Birch Creek’s Artist in the Schools program serving the music students of Door County.
Faculty Members in the schools
Since 2002, the following Birch Creek faculty members have participated in Artists in the Schools:
2002
WORLD MUSIC and STEELPAN
Liam Teague & Robert Chappell (percussion & Stella faculty)
2003
BRASS ENSEMBLES and MARIMBAS
Fred Strum & Dane Richeson (percussion & steelpan faculty)
2004
BRASS CLINICS and THE ART OF PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE
Greg Flint (symphony faculty)
2005
JAZZ BANDS and FLUTE ENSEMBLES
Jeff Campbell & Kaye Wagner (jazz faculty and executive director)
2006 (February)
AFRO-CUBAN & BRAZILIAN DRUM CIRCLES and THE 3 Rs OF MUSICANSHIP
Vicki Peterson Jenks (percussion & steelpan faculty)
2006 (November)
LIFE BEYOND THE BLUES SCALE
Reggie Thomas & Rick Haydon (jazz faculty)
2007
TIME/FEEL AND GROOVE
Reggie Thomas & Rick Haydon
(jazz faculty)
2008
THE RHYTHM OF JAZZ
Jeff Campbell, Reggie Thomas & Rick Haydon (jazz faculty)
2009
BUILDING JAZZ TIMING
Reggie Thomas & Rick Haydon (jazz faculty)
2010
JAZZ IN JUNIPER
Jeff Campbell, Reggie Thomas & Rick Haydon (jazz faculty)
2011
JAZZ GROOVES
Reggie Thomas & Rick Haydon (jazz faculty)
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Artists in the Schools was launched in 2002 with the support of a grant from the Peninsula Arts Association and the Wisconsin Arts Board, and has continued as a Birch Creek outreach program each year since then. Artists in the Schools is underwritten by a grant from Elizabeth Guenzel and housing for the artists during their residency is provided by Miriam Erickson. The program continues to bring nationally-recognized musicians into Door County schools for hands-on workshops.
