Crossroads News
Crossroads Jazz “A” Band Visits Panama Jazz Festival
Crossroads takes fifth trip to festival.
One of the finest examples of Crossroads’ “outside-of-the-box” educational experiences is the Jazz “A” Band’s trip to the Panama Jazz Festival, taken for the fifth time in January of 2020.
As the K-12 music chair (winds), Upper School music department chair and director of the Jazz “A” Band, Evan Avery worked with the Panama Jazz Festival and the environmental activist group Geoversity to conceive this capstone experience. Together, they planned excursions that built upon Crossroads’ academic program, including music, Environmental and Outdoor Education, world languages, history and Life Skills. Generous gifts to the Financial Aid Fund made this trip possible for students who could not otherwise afford to attend.
The students visited the Mamoni Valley Preserve and explored the history and culture of Panama City and its surrounding areas. They attended the 17th annual Panama Jazz Festival, where they performed a setlist of songs—including several composed by band members—and led a master class for Panamanian children. The trip offered students a life-changing experience they will not soon forget.
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As the K-12 music chair (winds), Upper School music department chair and director of the Jazz “A” Band, Evan Avery worked with the Panama Jazz Festival and the environmental activist group Geoversity to conceive this capstone experience. Together, they planned excursions that built upon Crossroads’ academic program, including music, Environmental and Outdoor Education, world languages, history and Life Skills. Generous gifts to the Financial Aid Fund made this trip possible for students who could not otherwise afford to attend.
The students visited the Mamoni Valley Preserve and explored the history and culture of Panama City and its surrounding areas. They attended the 17th annual Panama Jazz Festival, where they performed a setlist of songs—including several composed by band members—and led a master class for Panamanian children. The trip offered students a life-changing experience they will not soon forget.
