JazzED-ucation in Action: Anna Mariko Seymour

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Anna Mariko Seymour is a drummer, singer, composer, producer, and teaching artist.  

Born and raised in the Greater Seattle area, Anna has been part of the local music scene for more than a decade. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production from Berklee College of Music and now performs, teaches, writes, and produces music in Seattle. She also leads her own electronic art rock project, Prismia. 

At Seattle JazzED, Anna has taught Foundations, Connections, Second Line, and supported our Femme Jazz programs. Across all those spaces, one thing stays consistent: she starts by getting to know the people in the room. 

We sat down with Anna to talk about her approach to teaching and why individualized education matters, and how her work as an artist shapes the way she teaches. 

How did you first get into drums?  

My grandfather had an old bass drum that I would play when I spent the nights with my grandparents. He noticed that I had a sense of rhythm and encouraged my mom to let me take lessons.  I started playing when I was about nine. My dad is a guitarist, so I grew up around music, and I started taking lessons with Jay Douglas, who was a huge inspiration for me in becoming a full-time musician. 

After a couple years of lessons, I started playing in youth organizations around 11 and 12 years old. After that, I started a little youth band and was the drummer for a bunch of different youth bands. I was playing all-ages venues in middle and high school and gigging before I was even 18. 

Music has always been a really big part of my life, so becoming a full-time musician felt like a natural direction for me. 

What brought you to Seattle JazzED? 

Anna (Left) in Foundations Summer Camp 2023. Photo by Jocelyn RC.

After graduating from Berklee, I moved back to Washington at the end of 2021. Reese Tanimura connected me with Kelly Clingan, who was the Education Director at the time, and Kelly basically threw me in. 

I've taught a lot of different programs since then, including Foundations, Connections, Femme Jazz, summer camps, JazzSprouts, and Second Line. 

What keeps me at JazzED is the inclusivity across all of the different programs. I think that's really powerful and one of the things that makes JazzED unique. There's a place for so many different kinds of students and musicians. 

How would you describe your teaching style?  

I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all education. Every time I step into a space, even if it's the exact same program, I'm dealing with an entirely different set of individual people and kids. 

I like to start with structure, but then loosen that structure as needed. My first day is really about gathering information. I ask students what they're interested in, why they chose their instrument, and what kind of music they like. Then my job is to figure out how to connect what they're interested in to what we're doing. 

If a student likes rock or pop, for example, I want to find a way to connect that to jazz and to the curriculum. I think that's especially important with beginners. You're taking all of this energy of, "I just want to bang on this thing," and helping refine it into something with finesse and intention. 

Can you tell us about a time when you saw something click for a student? 

I had a student in Foundations who wasn't really connecting with the snare. He was withdrawn, shy, and not really willing to participate. And so I thought, "Okay, what's going to make this student really engaged? What does he want out of it?" And so I spoke with him one-on-one and learned he loved the piano. I had him try the marimba and xylophone, and suddenly he lit up. 

He was focused, he was happy, and he just started killing it. It was like the puzzle pieces just fit after we connected his piano experience with a percussion instrument. 

That experience really stuck with me because it showed how one small decision as an educator can completely change a student's experience. Sometimes it's just about finding the thing that makes sense for that particular person. 

Your experience with Second Line has also been meaningful. What does that program mean to you? 

Anna Leading DrumLine Section for Second Line Project Camp in Summer 2025. Photo BY Jocelyn RC

Before I became the lead for Second Line, I had been a helper and intern. I only had one year of high school drumline experience, so I definitely had some insecurity about leading it. I did a lot of homework and tried to prepare myself as much as possible. 

There was a student named Liam who had done Second Line before, and he checked in with me about things they'd done in previous years. He was really supportive, and I found that helpful. I saw a lot of myself in him at that age. 

My own experience in drumline wasn't always easy. I was the only girl in my high school drumline, and eventually I left because of bullying and drama. So now being able to support femme students in that space feels really meaningful to me. It's like I'm getting the chance to rewrite my own story. 

How does your work as an artist influence the way you teach? 

My solo project is called Prismia. It's almost five years old now, and after Berklee I wanted to see how much I could do on my own. I write and produce the songs, handle the social media, and lead the project, but I have a rotating cast of players. It's very community-oriented. It really takes a village. 

The name Prismia comes from the idea of a prism reflecting light from different perspectives. I like that idea of multidimensionality and bringing different people, art forms, and genres together. 

Anna at our Soundtrack for the future gala 2026. Photo by Charissa Soriano

That's also how I think about teaching. I want students and collaborators to bring their own skills and backgrounds into the space. I want them to shine and do their thing. 

What do you think makes the experience at JazzED unique for students? 

That's one of the things I love about JazzED. Jazz education can be about so much more than learning music. It's about morals, attitude, history, empowerment, and fighting injustice. There's a beautiful history to jazz, but there's also a dark history, and I think it's important for students to understand all of that. 

If I had to describe what JazzED makes possible in one sentence, I'd say: "Inspiration, creative freedom, and exploration through the wonders of jazz education." 

What Summer 2026 Sounded Like at JazzED

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Summer at JazzED means one thing: students playing music, loudly and joyfully. 

After pausing four summer camps last year, the team was excited to enter the season in full force.

For five weeks, students from all over came to camps that ranged from reimagined second-line grooves to jazz fundamentals to song lyrics written entirely by the campers themselves. Here's a look back at what it sounded like. 

Camp Recaps 

Jazz Lab Camp, led by Kate Olson, gave students a home base in jazz performance, listening, and gigging. Listen to all of the songs they learned here.  

Femme Jazz Camp, led by Audrey Stangland with support from Devon Rafanelli, created space for young women and gender-expansive students to build confidence and community through music.  

Second Line Camp, led by Jerome Smith, Brian Bermudez, and Anna Mariko Seymour, brought the sound of New Orleans brass to Seattle, and then took it straight to the streets at Seafair’s Torchlight Parade. 

Connections Camp, led by Steve Treseler and Birch Pereira, has students explore sound painting, improvisation, and more. 

Foundations Camp, led by Shaina Ellis with support from teaching artists BJ Montoya, Anna Mariko Seymour, Pascale Montgomery, Birch Pereira, and Jahnvi Madan, welcomed our youngest and newest musicians into the world of jazz for the first time. These students went from learning how to put their instrument together on Monday morning to playing and soloing on Friday.  

Each of these camps were also powered by a team of music educator interns, our next generation of teaching artists. In no particular order, we want to shout out and thank Amelia Fleishman, Katie Prindle, Emmett Bell, Lane Hansen, Ryan Acheson, Emily Gay, Luca Morales, Paul Nguyen, Gabriel Espitia, Schuyler Van Scoyoc, and Talli Kimani.  

A special thank you to Lake Washington Girls Middle School for hosting Foundations Camp this summer and opening their space to our youngest musicians. Partnerships like this are what make it possible for JazzED to meet students where they are. 

And another thank you to Sallie Ford for designing our summer shirts!

What our community had to say…

We asked our students to describe their summer camp in three words. Their answers say it all: 

"Fun, inspiring, entertaining." 
"Fun, learning, musical." 
"Chords, solos, opportunity." 

One student put it more fully, describing a learning moment in their playing: 

"[The activity in class that stood out to me the most] was practicing using chords in solos. It stood out because before I went, I mostly relied on scales. I originally did not know how to put chords into a solo, but now I have the basic idea, which will guide me in the correct direction while practicing." 

This is a perfect example of a student walking away with a new tool, and the confidence to use it. 

From a family: 

"Thanks so much for running awesome JazzED programs for middle schoolers — we're so grateful this exists in Seattle!" 

And from our Program Director, Courtney D. Clark:

“What stayed with me most during my first summer at JazzED was seeing the full arc of what we mean when we talk about access and opportunity. Students came to us at completely different places in their musical journeys, and every one of them had a place here. Watching a student discover on Friday that they can do something they couldn’t do on Monday, whether that’s playing their first notes, taking a solo, or finding the confidence to take a musical risk, is incredibly rich.

It was equally meaningful to see JazzED alumni return this summer as interns and teaching artists, now helping create those same kinds of experiences for the next generation of young musicians. That, to me, is what a real pathway looks like. We’re not just creating summer camps; we’re building community, creating opportunities to grow and lead, and giving young people a place they can return to in different ways throughout their musical journey.”

Looking Ahead

Fall is already shaping up to be just as full with a Teacher Info Session, an Open House, and special workshops on the calendar, plus our fall Downbeat (December 3) and fall Jamboree (December 12).

We can't wait to build our community of teaching artists and supporters and see what our students create next. We’re grateful to the donors, families, and community members who make summers and programs like this possible. 

From JazzED Student to Educator: Talli Kimani’s Journey Through Jazz

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At 22 years old, Talli Kimani is already building a life in music. A saxophonist, pianist, and educator, Talli performs throughout Seattle and explores jazz alongside other genres and styles. But before he was performing on stage or teaching young musicians, he was a 6th grader discovering jazz for the first time at Seattle JazzED. 

For 6th grader Talli, jazz was new territory. 

"I was kind of thrown into the deep end," he says. 

Growing up, Talli had been classically trained on piano since he was 8 years old and played in a concert band. But when he auditioned for Seattle JazzED in 2015, he had never played jazz before. He joined his first ensemble under the direction of Deb Schaaf, playing piano in the Benny Goodman ensemble. 

Something for him clicked. 

"I honestly just started falling in love with jazz big band music," he says. 

Every Sunday, Talli would carpool with a friend or be driven by his parents from Lynnwood to Seattle for a three-hour rehearsal. It became one of the highlights of his week.  

Young Talli photographed by Jim Levitt in 2017

"I enjoyed some of the smallest details," he says. "Including the drive up to Seattle and just entering the classroom and being surrounded by people who really just love the same type of music as I did." 

He remembers learning songs like Fly Me to the Moon, Duke Ellington's Cotton Tail, and Tiger of San Pedro. These standards helped him understand the excitement and creativity of jazz. 

By the time Talli joined his middle school's jazz band in 8th grade, he already had two years of experience because of JazzED. He was able to step into the ensemble with confidence and a deeper understanding of the music. 

Finding His Voice on Stage 

One of Talli's favorite memories from his time as a JazzED student happened during his first performance at The Royal Room. 

He remembers walking onto the dimly lit stage, sitting at the piano, and waiting as Deb Schaaf counted off the first song. 

It was there where he played his first jazz piano solo. 

"That was kind of when I realized that I had a love for not only listening to jazz, but also performing jazz," he says. 

His experience was about being surrounded by people who shared his passion and finding a place where he felt connected. 

"Spending three hours playing jazz every week was something I really enjoyed," he says. 

Talli continued with JazzED throughout middle school and early high school, eventually joining the program's Quincy Jones ensemble during his freshman year in 2019 under the direction of legendary educator and JazzED cofounder Clarence Acox. 

Seattle to Boston 

Photo provided by Talli

The foundation Talli built at JazzED helped open doors to new opportunities. During his sophomore year of high school, he earned a scholarship to attend a summer program at Berklee College of Music called Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive, an opportunity that helped him later audition and attend Berklee as a college student. 

"JazzED is one of the biggest factors as to how I am right now," he says. "It's mostly just due to that instruction that I was able to get a scholarship to go to a Berklee camp... and that also in turn helped me get into Berklee as a college so I could pursue my degree there a few years later." 

At Berklee, Talli studied saxophone and piano while learning from world-class musicians and educators, including saxophonist Godwin Louis, George Garzone, and Walter Smith III. 

His college experience pushed him as a musician. He remembers long nights practicing until 1, 2, or 3 a.m., and walking back from the practice rooms through snowy nights. 

Beyond jazz, he explored other styles, including pop, R&B, gospel, and Christian music, expanding his understanding of music and performance. 

Returning to JazzED

After graduating from Berklee, Talli returned to Seattle JazzED this summer as a teaching intern for Jazz Lab. 

When asked about how the transition felt, he shared, "It was definitely a big shift. My goals have changed." 

Instead of focusing only on his own playing, Talli found himself thinking about how to support students and help them grow. 

He reflected on the teachers who had shaped him: What inspired him as a student? What teaching methods helped him learn best? What made him excited to keep playing? 

"I try to emulate my teaching artists," he says. 

One approach he carries into his teaching comes from his own piano teacher in high school, who would often demonstrate passages by playing them first. Watching and listening helped Talli understand the music in a different way. 

Photo by Jocelyn RC

He also emphasizes the importance of understanding the foundations of jazz, including harmony and learning which notes belong to which chords. 

During Jazz Lab, Talli worked alongside JazzED educator Kate Olson and another intern. 

"It was a great experience," he says. "I enjoyed the whole week." 

One of the songs he introduced to students was Perdido, a jazz standard that holds personal meaning for him. Talli first learned the song as a high school student and spent years playing it. 

While Perdido is a familiar jazz standard, Talli helped students see how much creativity could exist within the music. 

He divided the camp into four groups and assigned each group a different section of the song. The arrangement gave students more opportunities to participate, listen to each other, and have their chance to shine. 

"There's more of a spotlight focused on the individual kids, and so they're more heard in what they're playing," he explains. 

By the end of the week, he saw a noticeable change compared to the first day. More students were volunteering to take solos, and their confidence grew with each opportunity. 

Watching his students reminded Talli of himself as a young musician. 

"I had a tendency to be nervous and take solos," he says. “I recognize that same nervousness in the students, but I also saw something more which is their passion. A lot of these kids just have a great passion for music. Sometimes they can just get a little bit held back by nerves. That's something I can relate to." 

A Full Circle Moment

As Talli continues building his career as a performer and educator, he is focused on growing his network, building relationships with other musicians, and continuing to perform throughout Seattle. 

He often thinks about a quote from jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove: "If you take care of the music, it will take care of you." 

That philosophy guides him as an artist and as someone who believes in sharing jazz with others. 

"Jazz is an amazing American art form," he says. "Being able to give back to the students and the community is really important to me." 

When asked how he would describe Seattle JazzED to someone unfamiliar with the organization, Talli points to the impact it had on him and continues to have on young musicians today. 

"It's a great Seattle education program that teaches the American art form of jazz very purely—the way it should be taught—to students of all races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds, in such a way that they gain lasting experiences that are deeply important to them." 

"It's also very fun to study at JazzED," he adds. 

Years after walking into his first JazzED rehearsal as a nervous 6th grader, Talli is now helping other young musicians find their confidence, discover their voices, and experience the same joy that first drew him into jazz. 

Follow Talli’s music at @tallikimanimusic on Instagram or at tallimusic.com.