With their instruments in their hands, students from Jazz Band and Andrew Perkins will be heading to Ann Arbor to the University of Michigan campus. There, the students will attend Jazz Day and work on improving their musical skills.

“Jazz Day is an event held by the University of Michigan School of Music Department of jazz and musical improvisation,” student teacher Henry Parkela said. “It is an event where the professors at the school as well as the university students hold workshops all day that include master classes for each instrument, concerts and jam sessions where kids can play along with other students.”

On Feb.10, starting at 11 a.m., the students will be at the U of M’s School of Music engaging in various clinics. In addition, there will be featured guest including Yissy Garcia who will be coming all the from Cuba to perform for the students.

“I feel like it will help me learn jazz better and strengthen my improvisation skills,” sophomore Cray Dumeah said. “There are a bunch of classes, but you get to pick which one you get to go to. I play the guitar; and we are are going to be learning what skills fit with different cords, how to move them around and how to keep solos in a certain section. I feel like my skills when it comes to solos are not very good so the improvisation skills will help out a lot with that.”

At the workshop, students can talk specific workshops set up for different instruments. These workshops are meant to help them work towards their individual goals and improve their skill set.

“I play the trumpet in jazz band,” junior Jacob Kinser said. “Playing wise, I understand the music theory but I want to improve on the technicality of the trumpet, I am still learning as I continue to play. That is what I am hoping to get out of the day. It is going to be really interesting because it is a lot of master classes and college courses that will be really good to hang out and participate in.”

Anyone interested in Jazz Band for the 2018-2019 school year should contact Perkins for more information.