JAM Dec/JAN 2013 - Download now - Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors

seemed to have decided they needed to make a statement
to the superintentent and school board--never found out
if they succeeded.”
Sometimes things don’t go so
well. Stan Kessler shares these
interactions with students:
“A student was given to me at a youth jazz organization
trumpet sectional. He had no business being there in that
he had no training and no school music program within
which to learn. He was virtually self-taught, without talent
or intelligence (not his fault) and possessing a tin ear. His
needs were basic and rudimental, so I asked him, ‘How
do you make a higher note without changing the valves?’
His reply: ‘Raise your eyebrows.’ Correct answer: Speed
up the air. It was all I could do to not laugh in the poor
kids’ face.”
Also from Stan:
Me: You played a flatted 7th on that major 7th
chord.
Student: No I didn’t!
Me: Incredulously laughing
On the other hand, some stories
just bring a smile to your face, like
these from Charles Williams:
“On one occasion as a private piano teacher, I had a
very wonderful young preschool girl that started coming
to me for lessons. She and her mom were very excited, and
just overjoyed for what was to come. The little girl had
her first lesson and was just bubbly all over. Her bright
and cheery face was lit up like it was Christmas morning.
Sometimes after meeting a student for their first lesson,
the parent or student might ask if I would play something
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for them. The girl appeared to be very infatuated with me
as well and just smiling. So I proceeded to play something
very classy and very smooth. I just did this for about two
minutes and stopped.
All of a sudden, the girl took a deep gasp and said,
‘That was SO romantic’” Her mom and I looked at each
other in awe, because we never expected to hear words
like that come from a 5 year old. Most of all it was the
way she said it.”
Sometimes the lessons are
beyond music. This one from
Charles may bring a smile:
“I had was a young girl who had temper tantrums. I
mean serious ones. As you grow and mature you learn how
to deal with these things. So one day the little student,
about 7 years old proceeds to have a temper tantrum again,
and falls down on the floor, kicks, and cries, and instead of
me saying anything this time I just ignored her, and acted
like she wasn’t in the room. Oh how furious this made her
that no one was even getting her attention. After a few
minutess of laying on my floor, she got quiet and stopped.
I calmly turned around and said, ‘I am glad you are done,
Now here is your lesson for next week.’ Like nothing had
even happened. This young lady had to move away a few
months later. Her last lesson she gave me a certificate for
being the best music teacher ever. A few years later, when
she was about 17 or 18, she came to town one summer, and
we found each other on a social internet site and connected
via e-mail. I told her I was playing on the Plaza with Ida
McBeth, and, she showed up that Sunday afternoon to see
me, and was so glad to see me and hugged me like I was
her dad. The point here is that it’s such a warm feeling to
not only teach someone, but to be a positive role model
in their life and make a difference.”
Your imAGE
deseRvEs
soMetHiNg
eXtrA...
grApHic DEsiGn
by Rod MCBRidE
913.271.9352
DECEMBER 2012 + JANUARY 2013 JAM 19