The 2020 ESUSA Northeastern Seminario students spent the week with the Teaching Artists of the Collective Conservatory learning about the origins of the 12-bar blues through Omar Thomas’ Sharp Nine. Born to Guyanese parents in Brooklyn, New York in 1984, Omar moved to Boston in 2006 to pursue a Master of Music in Jazz Composition at the New England Conservatory of Music after studying Music Education at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He is the protégé of lauded composers and educators Ken Schaphorst and Frank Carlberg, and has studied under multiple Grammy-winning composer and bandleader Maria Schneider.
From Omar Thomas’ website: Sharp Nine is a grooving, stomping 12-bar blues in Bb, written in a straight-eighths New Orleans ragtime-style march, which pays homage to jazz cornetist and early jazz pioneer Charles Joseph “Buddy” Bolden. It is a first and significant step in my writing towards bridging the gap between the worlds of traditional wind ensemble and improvisation in a jazz context. Sharp Nine serves a vehicle to introduce young musicians to the rich sounds of natural and altered tensions on dominant chords, and to give them the opportunity to take choruses of improvisation using the blues scale. I’ve included a blues improvisation beginner’s guide so that anyone and everyone can give it a shot!
“Being part of something larger than yourself is what playing in an orchestra is all about. It’s what the El Sistema movement is founded upon, that the orchestra serves as a metaphor for society. Through partnering with the Collective Conservatory to bring young musicians together online, we’re continuing to foster that sense of identity as being part of the larger global citizenry.” Katie Wyatt, President and CEO, El Sistema USA.
The Collective Conservatory’s residency with the 2020 El Sistema USA Northeastern Seminario is made possible by generous funding from Rodman for Kids Foundation and Alan and Lisa Dynner.
Participating programs:
- Patterson Music Project (NJ)
- Sistema Toronto (CAN)
- D’Addario Foundation – Ascente Chamber Orchestra (NY)
- Boston Music Project (MA)
- Kids 4 Harmony (MA)
- Project Music (CT)
- ESYO CHIME (NY)
- INTEMPO (CT)
- Collective Conservatory Personnel:
- Daniel Trahey (El Sistema USA Board Member), Co-Founder
- Pete Tashijan, Co-Founder
- Natalie Frakes, Founding Curator
- Garrett Mendez, Founding Curator
- Armand Hall (El Sistema USA Board Member), Founding Curator
- Chris Baker, musical contributor
- Ashleigh Summers Baker, musical contributor
- Amy Owens- Founding Curator, Director of External Affairs
Producers:
- Charles Williams
- Tyree Huddleson
- Keyona Carrington
- Jelil Missouri
- Lewis Williams
Guest Artists:
- Colin Walters
- Carlton Washington
- Thornetta Davis
