Musical Moments Episode 9

Senior High's Fabulous Funk 53

Winter 2010

Steadicam and Post Production by Gary Olsen

Our hosts: Deb Stevens and Brian Enabnit

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Elementary instrumental music teachers, Deb Stevens and Brian Enabnit, the hosts of Musical Moments, take us to the stage of the historic Senior High School Lamb-Hedeman Auditorium to her Funk 53. This school year, we've followed music students from 4th grade, where most students begin their musical journey, through to their first concert, approximately a four month period. Now we jump ahead to high school just to see how virtuosity begins to form.

Funk 53 is a jazz ensemble at Senior High School and it serves to exemplify the curriculum objectives of the music program in Dubuque Schools. Legendary instrumental music teacher, Bill Rowley, prefers to let students lead rather than he lead, being a mentor and coach rather than a dictatorial taskmaster. "We are learning about jazz and improvisational forms of music through experimenting with it," explains Bill. "Jazz is truly an American art form, and these students are studying the masters, learning their styles, but also learning about the time in which they lived, the history and forces that affected their lives and music."

But this episode is not just talking about it. This episode plays like a music video as the camera gets up close and personal with our young musicians that include students from all levels of high school.

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Click here for a bonus clip of Funk 53 you can play and keep.

These clips are produced Flash Video format and will play with Adobe Media Player available free from Adobe.com.