The microgrant provided funds for The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra to perform at three local schools—Bradley Elementary, Travis Intermediate, and Porter High School– where students used music to travel through time from the 1800s into decades of transformation through 2020.
“As a conductor and educator, I have learned that children respond when music is presented as something alive, and that is exactly what I experienced during The Woodlands Symphony’s Jazz Project,” shared Artistic Director Darryl Bayer
The programs blended music, history, U.S. geography, and the fine arts. Musical examples were presented chronologically and connected to historical markers such as major U.S. wars, the church’s cultural influence on gospel music, and the migration of jazz musicians from New Orleans up the Mississippi River to Chicago and New York City. Students also explored how jazz evolved and fused with South American styles such as salsa from Puerto Rico and bossa nova from Brazil.
At the center of each program was a live performance by The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra—trumpet, trombone, saxophone, tuba, and drums—one of the most traditional and foundational jazz combinations since the genre’s inception. Students were invited to participate throughout, learning about rhythm, beat, and accents, and gradually began clapping on 2 and 4, the way jazz is meant to be felt. What began with hesitation quickly became engagement, movement, and participation.
Each program lasted nearly an hour, with an equal balance of narrative and live music. At Porter High School, students were able to remain afterward for informal conversation and questions with performers, further deepening their connection to the experience.
By the end of each session, the room had shifted. Students were no longer just observers, but participants in a shared musical space. Jazz became immediate, human, and alive—something they could feel, not just hear.