One of the world's premier jazz trumpeters addressed children and teachers on Monday morning during one of the first events of the 20th annual Philadelphia International Children's Festival.
Wynton Marsalis performed and discussed ensemble-style jazz in front of a packed crowd in Zellerbach Theatre, which housed elementary, junior high and high school students from the region, as well as teachers and chaperones.
Instead of performing with his own quintet, Marsalis played with the University of Pennsylvania Jazz Ensemble and interacted with its members as well as the audience to create a relaxed and open discussion of ensemble-style jazz, how to relate to others in a band and improvisation.
Marsalis, who is from New Orleans and has been playing the trumpet for 36 years, said that one of the most important considerations in pursuing any career is to always bring passion and intensity to your work and to "know what you want to do or what you want to be."
Don Jackson, a middle school gym teacher and chaperone at the event, said that "he was glad to see how he interacted with the band," but thought that some of the discussion was "maybe a little bit above [students'] heads at times."
Rachel Brekke, a student from Eastern High School in New Jersey, said she was impressed by how Marsalis "catered to the audience," but "disappointed he did not play more."
While at Penn, Marsalis also held a private clinic for Penn Jazz and performed twice on Sunday at the Annenberg Center.
At the clinic, Marsalis openly discussed his views on modern music in relation to jazz and stressed that every musician and professional should "step out of your group mentality" and look at the world from a different perspective.
"We were all a little nervous at first," said College senior and Penn Jazz bassist Tim Sikorski, but Marsalis turned out to be a "really down-to-earth guy," and they had a "really interesting, intelligent conversation."
The session with Marsalis and the Penn Jazz kicked off the first day of the seven-day festival put on by Penn Presents, a program run through the Annenberg Center that brings in acts from all around the world for educational purposes and cultural enlightenment.
The festival was increased from a five-day event to a seven-day event this year and lasts from April 25 until May 1. According to Annenberg spokeswoman Stephanie Grant, the festival is "one of the largest of its kind" and serves as a model for other similar festivals internationally.
The intent of the festival is to "provide fantastic, top-of-the-line, world-class performing arts for the Delaware Valley," Grant said.
