2:00pm

Jazz Vocal Education Program

with Scott Gwinnell

Jazz Vocal Education Program

A complimentary program for students in Southeast Michigan is led by Detroit’s legendary orchestra leader Scott Gwinnell. Mr. Gwinnell creates and implements curriculum, auditions, student instruction, and prepares and presents the culminating performances. 

2:00pm

Lincoln Center's Jazz for Young People

with Jason C. Smith

Lincoln Center's Jazz for Young People

Lessons explore core concepts and major figures in jazz, and use interactive components to enliven its rich cultural heritage. The form’s definitive musical elements are taught, as well as its relationship to current culture and music.

2:00pm

Interactive Bucket Drumming

with Tia Harvey

Interactive Bucket Drumming

This Interactive demonstrations of bucket drumming to engage audiences with the art of percussion.  The audience, and especially kids, will be asked to “sit in.” Harvey will be lead bucket drumming for kids during CMS-D summer camps and classes.

Music Hall Education Director

Scott Gwinnell

Scott Gwinnell is a pianist/composer/arranger/educator from Detroit, Michigan. He has performed/ recorded, and/or toured with: Aretha Franklin, Vanessa Williams, Roberta Flack, Rodney Whitaker, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Heath, John Clayton, Marcus Belgrave, Delfayo Marsalis, Steve Turre, and vocal legend Jon Hendricks, for whom Scott was music director for three years. He has played on over 20 recordings and has 4 records to his own name (Basement Vibes, Scott Gwinnell Trio, Brush Fire, and the newly released Cass Corridor Story). Gwinnell’s trio is the Friday evening house‐band at the historic London Chop House in Detroit and he is the first artist signed to Mack Ave. subsidiary label, Detroit Music Factory.

As an 11 time award‐winning BMI composer, Gwinnell has written over 400 compositions and arrangements, from solo piano to symphony orchestra. As an educator, Gwinnell has taught music full and part time at U of Toledo, Bowling Green S U, Wayne County CC, and Oakland University, where he presently teaches. At OU, Gwinnell is the director of vocal jazz, jazz piano, and is a member of the Oakland Jazz Quartet. He is also the creator and director of the 7 year old Metro‐Detroit Jazz Workshop, one of Detroit’s largest privately funded jazz educational events. Gwinnell is also an integral member of the Michigan State University Detroit Community School faculty, where he teaches jazz piano, and conducts instrumental and vocal combos.

Grow up great and jazz for young people

Jason C. Smith

In the 1990s, Jason gained valuable experience in the area of early childhood development and performing arts. At this time, Jason’s focus was on impacting the youth that clearly lacked development in their early years. So, with early childhood coordinator and counselor, Cynthia Mitchell, Jason joined forces to launch (501c3) early childhood development programs: MYL and MYM, “Maturing Young Ladies”, “Maturing Young Men”.  These communities driven programs helped develop little tots, boys and girls from ages 3 to 12 years.  Along with his wife, developed curriculums through MYL and MYM program that would challenge the community youth in their motor skills, creativity (music and dance) and promoting high self-esteem.

Jason continued to share his passion in yet another community-based educational program called “Theatre Time”.  Being music coordinator for Music Hall Center of Performing Arts, Jason shared his experience in performing arts, vocals and motivational skills with youth throughout the metropolitan area, causing amazing results in their personal development, resurrecting and restoring passion and confidence. Through “Theatre Time”, the youth were given curriculum that equipped them to exercise their gifts, resulting in amazing performances at the Historical Music Hall Center of Performing Arts. Such plays that were performed were “Grease”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, and “The Wiz” just to name a few.

Jason Smith continues to this day working with 100’s of Detroit’s youth on a daily basis through the Music Hall education programs, Grow Up Great and Jazz for Young People because there is no greater feeling to know that you have positively impacted the lives of individuals and youth.

MSU Community Music School-detroit

Tia Harvey

Tia Harvey currently lives in Michigan where she attends Michigan State University in East Lansing and studies with Gwen Dease. She is pursuing a doctoral degree in percussion performance. Since moving to Michigan three years ago, Tia has worked to build a presence in the community through teaching at local Community Schools, as well performing chamber music in non-traditional environments in the Greater Lansing area. Tia desires to create and promote the music of living composers. In addition to developing a performing career in the central Michigan region, Tia is on faculty at the MSU Community Music School, the Jackson Symphony Orchestra Community Music, and a teaching assistant at Michigan State University.

Tia holds a master’s in music performance from Michigan State University, and a bachelor’s in music performance from the University of Central Florida where she studied with Jeff Moore, Kirk Gay and Thad Anderson. She also has had multiple teaching opportunities in the Central Florida area teaching percussion in marching ensembles, chamber percussion ensembles and teaching privately.