Fostina Dixon-Kilgoe announced this month that she is recruiting youth, ages 10 to 25 for the Wilmington Youth Jazz Band. Dixon explains that the “mission of the jazz group is to expose, educate and culturally enrich students through learning jazz music and in an effort to maintain and expand jazz throughout our communities.”
The jazz band currently consists of 16 members of various ages and skill levels. Participation in the band exposes the young musicians to all aspects of the music industry from composition to performance. The youth learn how to read music, how to use their ideas to create music while having fun and participating at events throughout the community. Rehearsals are held weekly at the Eastside Charter School in Wilmington DE. Members of the band play piano, drums, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and upright bass and are encouraged to try new instruments.
The WYJB is presently in partnership with Berklee College of Music. As part of the partnership the weekly curriculum requires that all students are enrolled in the Berklee Pulse Music Method.
To register, interested candidates can visit the band’s website at www.wyjb.org as well as on Facebook at WYJB. Additional information can also be obtained by calling the Senee Oates at 302-757-1956 or through email at Senee.music@gmail.com.
No newcomer to the music scene, Dixon-Kilgoe is an alumnus of the Berklee College of Music and is a professional saxophone player who has recorded professionally. Dixon-Kilgoe uses her knowledge and expertise to teach the youth with the help of staff members James Dixon-(brass), Vernon James Sr.-(woodwinds), Dill McDaniel-(upright and electric bass/piano), Todd Kilgoe-(drums), and Saeed Abuwi-(brass). The WYJB is a non-profit organization created through a grant from the Berklee School of music in 2004 and accepts tax deductible donations.
The WYJB has performed at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festivals, Dover’s African-American Festivals and the Kennedy Center as well as community events such as the Rockwood Ice Cream Festival.
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