Pupils pair with pros for jazz performance

MARLBORO — The music of Duke Ellington will be brought to life as the Marlboro Memorial Middle School Royalaires jazz choir collaborates with the Eric Mintel Quartet for a performance on June 4.

The free concert is open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. at the Marlboro Memorial Middle School, Nolan Road.

The first half of the concert will feature the Eric Mintel Quartet performing some of its original works. The collaboration between the middle school students and the professional musicians will take place during the second half of the performance.

The Eric Mintel Quartet will host a clinic with the middle school's jazz band on the afternoon of the concert. The music group's visit to the middle school is made possible through a grant from the Marlboro Educational Foundation that was applied for by music teachers Ryan Guth and Matt Goley.

Eric Mintel formed the quartet in 1993 and the group has performed across the country, including at the White House for former president Bill Clinton and on multiple occasions at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The ensemble consists of Eric Mintel (piano), Nelson Hill (alto sax), Dave Antonow (acoustic and electric bass) and Dave Mohn (drums).

The quartet is currently promoting its latest CD "Ground Breaker," Mintel said. The group performs many original pieces written by Mintel, with the goal of getting jazz out to the masses. More information about the quartet can be found at www.ericmintelquartet. com.

Mintel said he had met Guth previously and heard about the outstanding music program at the Marlboro Memorial Middle School. He said when the group goes out on the road its members participate in clinics, workshops and performances at schools.

"The main thing is that we are getting jazz into their minds," Mintel said of the opportunity to work with the students. He said many students have heard of jazz, but once they actually experience it they have a new appreciation for the genre. The quartet explains the concept of jazz music in a way that is easy for the young people to comprehend, Mintel said.

When the professional musicians sit down with the school's jazz band members they will review jazz improvisation and discuss how to listen to jazz.

Mintel said the professional musicians will also review the roles of the instruments that are used to produce jazz music. The quartet will rehearse the vocal pieces with the Royalaires prior to the evening's performance.

"I am extremely excited to have musicians of this caliber coming in to work with our students. It will be an invaluable experience for them to be able to work side by side with professionalmusicians. I am sure it will energize them and get them motivated to continue their studies as student musicians," said Goley, who directs the middle school jazz band.

Guth, who directs the Royalaires, said he decided to take the school's choir group in a

different direction this year, introducing the children to vocal jazz. Guth explained that vocal jazz requires advanced oral skills because the harmonies sung are closer together. Each member of the Royalaires must be able to hold their own when performing vocal jazz, the

teacher explained.

Students in the Royalaires have proven they are up to the challenge of vocal jazz, having taken home top honors at a May 15 competition held in Hershey, Pa. The Royalaires were rated superior and took home the first place award for jazz choir, Guth reported.

Student Roshni Bhat won an award for outstanding vocal soloist for her performance of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo."

The group received an "Esprit de Corps" award by showing outstanding professionalism, musicianship and desire for excellence.

The middle school jazz band received an excellent rating at the Hershey competition.

This year the jazz choir and jazz band have been focusing on the music of Duke Ellington, who is the root of popular jazz, Guth said. The Eric Mintel Quartet will be performing with the students to Ellington's "Freedom Suite."

The Marlboro Memorial Middle School has outstanding support for its music program and has about 50 percent of the students participating in some aspect of the music program, Guth said.

"Marlboro Memorial is not just any middle school music program. We pride ourselves on our level of professionalism and being able to perform repertoire that most middle schools would, for reasons of scheduling and funding, probably not perform," Guth said.

None of the music-based ensembles at the school are designated as after-school clubs since all are integrated into the curriculum. Guth said any pupil who performs with a music ensemble takes a class during the day pertaining to his or her respective group.