Jazz collective visits the Flathead

New York jazz collective in residence this week

A New York-based jazz collective will present workshops and concerts in Flathead Valley schools this week.

The five-member collective from the Institute for Creative Music is in the valley with the support of a Plum Creek Great Classrooms grant. Led by drummer Chris Teal and trombonist Nick Finzer, the collective works with schools and community centers nationwide to present unique performances and innovative workshops.

Teal, originally from Spokane, connected with Columbia Falls High School band director Karen Ulmer to apply for the grant, which subsidizes the group to spend the day with five school music programs, present two concerts for the community and offer an additional day of intensive band-leading and recording workshops for students from all interested schools. 

The collective will visit Columbia Falls High, Flathead High School, Whitefish High School, Lincoln County High School and Stillwater Christian School.

The high school students will perform with the collective members in bands formed during the week at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10. The jazz collective will perform original jazz at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with a portion of ticket sales going to the Columbia Falls band program.

All concerts take place in the Columbia Falls High School auditorium.

“This will be an amazing musical experience for our students, and we are very grateful to Plum Creek for making it happen,” Ulmer said. “It is exciting that we will be able to reach so many students in the Flathead Valley, and I would encourage all jazz enthusiasts throughout the valley to attend the Tuesday evening concert.” 

For more information, visit www.ifcmusic.org.