Skip to main content

Get to Know the MVMS Jazz Band

By Anonymous

This school is full of very talented musicians, many of whom belong to the MVMS band, chorus, or orchestra. These are classes that have grades like English and math, for example , but some people like to play music and not have to worry about having a good report card at the same time. There is a group for those people, the ones who want to play outside of school, and grow their musical skill. This group is called the jazz band, and it is awesome.


The jazz band is entirely extracurricular, and it plays--you guessed it-- jazz music. Jazz music is a genre that originated back when slavery was legal. Many slaves would sing songs from their homeland. Over the years, the music morphed into something new, mixing with American styles. This eventually turned into jazz music, becoming very popular. Playing jazz involves lots of improvisation. A jazz song usually begins with a written tune, but then turns to a solo section where one person plays an improvised tune.



Leading the MVMS Jazz Band is teacher Cayce Carnahan, who also teaches all of the band, guitar, and percussion classes. All 14 years he has been here at Mill Valley Middle School, he has been running the jazz band and the yearly changing cast. I, being a member of the band myself, have enjoyed all of the experiences that I have been given. We experience good music, field trips, new friends, and much more from our participation.



Of course, being a member of the Jazz Band takes a lot of commitment. Three days a week, the students meet, and spend 30 minutes of their time rehearsing. On Mondays and Wednesdays, it’s after school, and on Thursdays, it’s at lunch. The students have to practice extra at home, too. Usually, there are about three extra songs to practice on top of the normal band songs. Still, it’s nothing compared to the 1-6 hours our teacher spends every day practicing, plus all teaching all of his classes. This time and dedication, though, is all part of being good at bringing music to life.


Being a part of this band is showcasing true effort, and it really pays off. Playing and listening to music are both very rewarding things, and it’s really relaxing to know that it doesn’t always have to come with a grade.

--Owen Reese, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

December Riddles by Zidane

By Anonymous
Answers to November Riddles 1. There are five children 2. A rainbow 3. Loneliness 4. An individual  5. A stapler December Riddles 1. What’s useless to one but priceless to two, can create and destroy but can never be touched? 2. What never stops progressing until the day you die? 3. What appears once in a minute, twice in a millennium, but never in a hundred years? 4. Let me breathe and I will thrive, give me a drink and I will die. What am I? 5. I send waves but not of water, can instate any kind of emotion, sit in your pocket or in your car. What am I?
Read more

The Story Behind the Throckmorton Theater By Odessa

By Anonymous
Can you imagine Mill Valley without the memorable Throckmorton Theatre? What if it wasn’t bought by Lucy Mercer in the early 2000s? Would is still remain in disrepair? What would happen to the Mill Valley Film Festival and all the art and acting programs? This life sounds quite dreary in our opinion. Whoever has done something or participated in something within the Throckmorton Theatre knows how instantaneously you become enamored with the intricately painted walls, the nostalgic wood furnishing and the welcoming foyer, but it’s not just that, there is this magical feeling in the air that seems almost tangible around you. The laughter, joy and tears that sprinkle out on warm summer nights, or windy fall evenings. The Throckmorton Theater The Throckmorton Theatre as we know it now used to be The Hub, which was famed for hosting Charlie Chaplin and regular vaudeville programming in 1914. Which was when the also darling Sequoia Theater opened in the 1920s, the Hub faded away and c...
Read more

The History of Spring Cleaning By Emilia

By Anonymous
The History of Spring Cleaning When I hear those words butterflies of excitement rise in my stomach. It time for “Spring Cleaning.” Spring cleaning has been a tradition in my house for as long as I can remember. Going through my desks and all the random boxes in my house feels as though I’m starting from scratch. It gives me the ability to reorganize my room and make space for brand new things. Spring cleaning is one of my favorite times of the year and going through it this year I started to wonder about the history of the tradition.  It all started as a Jewish tradition in which families would go through their home and perform a “deep cleaning” in preparation for Passover. Jewish families were supposed to rid their houses of any remnants of chametz for the duration of the holiday. This resulted in a complete cleaning of their homes. Since Passover is in spring the tradition of hunting for chametz took place the week before, hence the name “Spring Cleaning.” As time went on spr...
Read more