Rehoboth jazz festival musicians visit Sussex Academy

Through its new education outreach program, the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival presented Sussex Academy students with a performance from saxophonist Eric Darius. Sussex Academy jazz band members also met with contemporary jazz pianist and composer Brian Simpson. Both activities were held at the school Oct. 28.

Larry DeFrancisco, vice president of marketing and sponsorship for the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, said this is the organization’s first Music in Tune with Education event. The new program is designed to expose young people to music and motivate students to pursue music as a major endeavor.

One goal of the program is to offer master classes, clinics, workshops, lectures, demonstrations, panel discussions and artist performances with question-and-answer sessions, all led by the festival’s master musicians. This program is directed at grade school, middle school and high school students, and specifically to high school musicians who demonstrate a strong potential to perform musically at the collegiate level.

The education program activities will be conducted by and held annually during the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival in October. The board members hope eventually to be able to provide three annual scholarships as well as instrument repair and replacement programs for local high schools.

“It was a spectacular day at Sussex Academy. Eric Darius was awesome on his sax, and the students truly enjoyed it! Additionally, Brian Simpson gave the Sussex Academy jazz band a great master class on improv,” said Mike Marotta, Sussex Academy band director.

Sussex Academy is a public charter, tuition-free, school in Georgetown.