Benjamin Logan High School Jazz Ensemble students traveled to the Clark State Performing Arts Center in Springfield on Thursday for a unique opportunity to experience a free educational concert presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center, featuring the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra led by trumpeter, composer, and educator Wynton Marsalis.

The concert brought students face-to-face with musicians performing at the highest level of the art form they study and perform at Benjamin Logan. Benjamin Logan High School Band Director Myles Bowers shared the significance of the experience with his students.

“If you’re not familiar with Wynton: Imagine you’re getting to see and then meet the people who set the standard for an entire art form.”

Marsalis has performed and collaborated with many of the most respected names in music, including Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Leonard Bernstein, Eric Clapton, and Yo-Yo Ma. Through Jazz at Lincoln Center, Marsalis and the orchestra have also played an important role in preserving jazz history, sharing its traditions, and introducing the art form to new generations.

For Benjamin Logan’s Jazz Ensemble students, the educational concert provided something that cannot be fully replicated in a classroom or rehearsal room: the chance to hear world-class jazz musicians live and observe their musicianship, communication, improvisation, and ensemble work firsthand. The trip was especially meaningful after the group’s planned opportunity to attend last year was canceled because of icy weather.

Experiences like this allow students to make a direct connection between what they are learning and practicing at school and the larger world of professional music. Benjamin Logan Local Schools appreciates Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Clark State Performing Arts Center for making this exceptional educational experience available to students.