by Zach Manzi
My Nu Deco experience has been replete with awe-inspiring moments of colleagues and guest artists displaying musical abilities of the highest level. That said, my most salient memories as a Nu Deco musician are often opportunities to perform for young people in educational contexts. This past season (Season Four), we performed for students in Homestead, FL and at the Adrienne Arsht Center. At every one of those performances I would look out at the smiling at seas of kids mimicking Jacomo’s demonstrative clapping and foot-stomping to Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and think to myself that (1) Jacomo has endless energy and (2) that this is some of the most important and impactful work that Nu Deco does.
One of our demonstrations involved playing the main theme from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony over three different kinds of beats–Latin, rock, and hip-hop. The idea is to show the students that while Beethoven’s music is old, it is closely related to modern forms of music which they encounter on a regular basis. True to Nu Deco’s style, this genre-bending exercise serves as a bridge between classical music and other genres, with the hope that kids who do not have a background in classical music begin to see relatable doors into the art form. This approach resonates as unique with me as I have been part of orchestral education concerts that fail to meet kids where they are now with their musical preferences.
Last April, we ran an educational program during our week-long residency at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Following the program’s conclusion, I had the chance to ask three teachers who brought their classes of Miami-Dade public school students about their experience with Nu Deco.
Nerissa Manela, who teaches at Morningside K-8 Academy told me why she decided to bring her students to the concert.
“I have actually heard much about Nu Deco through one of my friends, Andrew Riley, who plays in the percussion section. Unfortunately, I have not been able to match my availability to Nu Deco’s performance schedule, or if I am available, tickets are often prohibitively expensive. So on a personal level, I was very interested in hearing Nu Deco perform. I was grateful that Nu Deco and the Arsht Center provided this experience for my students, so that they could also have the opportunity to hear live quality music and get a concert experience. The field trip also offered to provide transportation for all of the students I teach, which also made the field trip very feasible, as more than 90% of the students at my school are on free or reduced lunch and have limited means to attend costly field trips or performances in the community.”
Another teacher I connected with, Crystal Sawyer from West Hialeah Gardens Elementary School, described the day from her perspective:
“The students wanted to wear fancy clothes. The conductor did an excellent job of engaging the students in the concert, and the students were able to connect to the performance. I received many compliments from students and teachers alike; many of them have never seen a live ensemble in such a setting.”
Finally, I spoke with Sharon Lloyd from Gratigny Elementary School. I asked Mrs. Loyd how she felt about her experience with Nu Deco.
“The whole ensemble seemed to have that cool Miami vibe in that they seemed like real people, just having fun playing their instruments together. In Miami, there are so many different cultures, our music and cultures mix together so there is something for everyone. Being that the ensemble was medium sized helped, with that not-so-serious stuffy feel that some orchestras seem to have. This young and breezy feeling would encourage more younger people to see the shows and hopefully aspire to being one of the musicians playing in the ensemble. The percussion section was dancing in the background, everyone was jammin’ (together) and a good time was had by all!!”
She continued by telling me why she chose to bring her students to the concert.
“I am a music teacher and I want my students to have musical experiences outside of school. I want my students to see what is musically possible in their city. I want them to see people that look like them playing on a world stage. Music is our world language and most of us can experience it, in one form or another, alone or with each other. We cannot wait until the next time we can come out to see you!!”
In-concert, it’s easy to gauge the student’s reactions to what’s happening on stage by listening to the applause and looking at their faces. It’s harder, however, to tell in the moment whether teachers and parents think that bringing their students to a Nu Deco performance is worthwhile. Because of this, we view responses like these from educators who work with the kids as indicators of where we are succeeding and where we need to further improve.
In my last year of college at Juilliard, I taught music to two classes of third graders in an underserved public school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan every week. For those who are familiar with New York neighborhoods, you’d think this school had it good, but that really wasn’t the case–they had some music classes but lacked regular exposure to music. This felt illogical, as Juilliard and Lincoln Center were only about 30 blocks away. I remember both of my classes being rather rowdy; one of my biggest challenges was getting the room quiet (and this was with their classroom teacher present). In the rare moments that I played in class, I will never forget the effect it had on the room–complete silence followed by focused attention and smiles. This is the impact of bringing young people in contact with live music: whether it’s the literal vibrations, or the fascination with instruments, or something we cannot understand, we musicians see and feel this happen when we perform for young people. That is why initiatives to bring students in contact with music are crucial. The kind of emotional insight that music played at a high level can bring to young people–if presented in a way they find relevant–is one of the most powerful pathways to awakening and inspiring the emotional aspects of themselves.