Band
Band is an encore class offered in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. It is taught by Ryan McFall, Richard Williams, and Kevin Blair. Students in band learn to play woodwind (clarinet, flute, et cetera), brass (trumpet, trombone, et cetera), or percussion (snare drum, xylophone, et cetera) instruments. In high school, students can continue band under Kevin Blair. During fall, high school band students participate in marching band, which is an extracurricular club, and in spring, they take concert band, a class. There are two band concerts every year in both middle and high school. Students can also perform in jazz or pep band, which are not classes but clubs. Jazz band is the only one of these available to middle school students. Jazz band host their own concerts, with instruments like keyboard, saxophone, and guitar.
Jazz Band
Jazz band is a form of band specializing in jazz, and consisting of trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, piano, double bass, and percussion. Jazz originated in New Orleans, Louisiana. This article will cover the jazz band club at Thomas Jefferson Middle School.
The two teachers that lead the jazz band club are Mr. McFall and Mr. Blair. They started this club because they wanted kids to fall in love with jazz, and bring more talent to the world. There are currently 25 kids in the jazz band club at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (TJMS) and 45 kids at Capital City High School. (CCH)
Instruments are an important part of Jazz, but jazz can also be expressed through the voice. If you play an important jazz instrument such as the trombone, trumpet, piano, bass, clarinet, and saxophone, then you’ll be perfect for the jazz band.
If you want to join the jazz band at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, it's not too late. If jazz bands are something that you are interested in, or you play any of the instruments listed in a previous section of this article, then feel free to join our jazz band.
