Every spring and fall, the Western Colorado group 'Cool Jazz' perform shows at area elementary schools, hoping to encourage students to include music as part of their academic careers.

Last Monday, 'Cool Jazz' performed for Preschoolers and 1st Graders at Dos Rios Elementary, and the students displayed what could only be described as "perfect" concert etiquette. Kudos to you, students, parents, and teachers at Dos Rios.

The quartet performed a forty minute excerpt from Claude Bolling's Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano. Over the course of the performance, students were asked to imagine stories to accompany the music. Students fielded questions regarding instruments, instrument families, and music history.

Imagine, if you will, over a hundred Preschoolers and First Graders sitting in a gym listening to a quartet performing Classical and Jazz music. Under most circumstances, this would be a recipe for disaster.

The students at Dos Rios made for the most attentive audience I've ever seen! This group doesn't typically receive this kind of attention and courtesy when we play concert halls, let alone schools.

Of the four members of 'Cool Jazz', I'm the only one who isn't a music teacher. I don't have a clue what schools are teaching nowadays through their music programs. One thing is obvious; students in the First Grade have a far greater understanding of music, the musical instrument families, and time signatures than my generation did by Junior High. It's amazing.

Somewhere along the way, students have been instructed at to how to listen while attending a concert. In my day, First Graders would have been doing cartwheels in aisles during a Classical concert. Paper airplanes would be buzzing the performers, and you would probably see the occasional dodgeball or two.

In addition to being a great audience, they were also very appreciative. Someone in the audience (okay, it was the gym teacher), took the time to sketch a portrait of the band. What do you think? Looks just like me, doesn't it.

Tom Freeman
Tom Freeman
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Thank you, Dos Rios Elementary, for allowing us the chance to perform for you. It was a real treat.

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