Click to set custom HTML
Violin is a jazz instrument to be taken seriously. Passing musical knowledge down to future generations is “The Detroit Way”, according jazz virtuosos of our city’s past. Our youth violinists ages 3 to 18 engaged with contemporary jazz musicians in “The Detroit Way” during workshops and performance collaborations January through June 2017. Their culminating show was June 19 at N'Namdi Center. They attended jazz summer camps in July & August.

Album

Live tacks from our culminating show at NNamdi gallery was a collaboration between DYV violinists and Detroit jazz artists Marion Hayden (bass), Michelle May (violin), Leslie DeShazor (viola), Michael Malis (keys) and Matt Daher (drums). MC is Jessica Care Moore, a DYV parent and local poet. 
Jazz Violin CD
Jazz Violin on bandcamp LISTEN FREE

Timeline

October - May 2016 ::: group and private lessons weekly at Detroit Symphony education wing
January - May 2017 ::: workshop series in which students engage with teaching jazz artists once or twice a month in addition to weekly Suzuki lessons
June 19, 2017 ::: FREE culminating summer concert with students and their mentors at N'Namdi Gallery. Over 150 people packed the house on a Monday!
July - August 2017 ::: jazz summer camps at PheonixPhest, Urban Stringz, Creative Strings Workshop, & Motor City Music Together

Funding Story

Our project was a winning idea in Detroit's Knight Arts Challenge. Thanks to our supporters, we raised $51,000 on our own in order to receive $51,000 from Knight Foundation. This allowed us to maintain full scholarships for 15 current students in addition to providing the jazz workshops series, culminating concert and summer camps for all of our students. 

Teaching Artists

LOCAL
  1. Marion Hayden, bass
  2. Michelle May, violin
  3. Leslie DeShazor, viola
  4. Matt Daher, drums
  5. Michael Malis, keys
  6. Marcus Elliot, reeds
  7. Scott Murphy, violin
  8. Rydell Chavez, guitar
  9. Jake Shadik, sax
  10. Tareek Green, drums

VISITING
  1. Christian Howes, violin
  2. Tomeka Reid, cello
  3. Jannina Norpoth, violin
  4. Mazz Swift, violin
  5. Silvia Bolognesi, bass

Jazz  Summer Camps