Jazzy Friday Set for Shawmont Students

Rewarded for its strong music program, Friday morning will be treated to a unique jazz opportunity.

Performers from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz will present a concert for students at the Roxborough school.

The School District of Philadelphia, through the National Endowment of the Arts, brings in the peer-to-peer jazz education program, which also includes a concert.

“As young people are so influenced by kids their own age, who better to expose them to this great American art form than those of their own generation?” Thelonious Monk, Jr. said in a news release. The son of the late pianist serves as chairman for the institute’s board of trustees.

According to the district, the visit will include a musical assembly, jazz performance workshops, and discussions on the importance of jazz in Philadelphia and United States.

"Shawmont was one of 15 schools nationwide, and of the five schools in the city, it's the only elementary school," Home and School Association Janet McHale said.

On Friday, seven students from the institute’s National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program will travel to Shawmont along with Grammy Award winner and Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts alum Christian McBride. The district said Kansas City singer Lisa Henry and jazz educator J.B. Dyas will also attend.