Roundtable Q&A: “Thinking with Jazz: The Educational Impact of Improvisation”
In conjunction with the Jazz Arts Celebration concert, a unique discussion and roundtable will
be held at 4 pm, May 9th at Clearfield High School. (Room to be announced.) Kids interested in studying jazz and music in college will have a great opportunity to talk with Dr. Alex Heitlinger (Utah Valley University), Dr. Dan Jonas (Weber State University) and Doctoral Candidate David Hall (University of Utah) in a round table discussion about the art of jazz.
[Portrait of Oscar Moore, Nat King Cole, and Wesley Prince, New York, N.Y., ca. July 1946]
We’ll be talking about the potential benefits of studying jazz improvisation to your critical thinking skills and overall creativity in your studies, careers and research. Technology companies, top researchers and fortune 500 firms strive to find colleagues and employees who have the ability to think in creative ways, build new connections and solve problems with new and elegant ideas. Music and especially jazz can have a distinct impact on how you sharpen those skills throughout your educational career, whether you strive to be a professional musician or keep playing in the community semi-professionally.
We will be talking about the importance of jazz education in k-12 the first 30 minutes of the discussion, followed by 30 minutes for students to talk with the professors about what it takes to cultivate a successful college career.
References for the discussion:
- “How playing an instrument benefits your brain – Anita Collins”
- “This Is Your Brain On Music”
- “Composing Code: Why Musicians Make Great Software Developers”
- “Scientists Are More Creative Than You Might Imagine”
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