New! Instrument Repair Drop Off Hours

Seattle JazzED is proud to announce a new free service for families. Enrolled students are welcome to bring in their instrument in need of repair or maintenance during new drop-off hours. Services for musical instruments includes re-stringing, re-corking, minor structural repair, cleaning and polishing, readjustments, valve repair, replacing broken parts, reed replacement, and more.

Musicians can now drop off their woodwind, brass, string, or percussion instruments or receive general instrument related support at the Seattle JazzED South Lake Union office during the following time frames:

• Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

• Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

The following is the location of our workspace. Musicians should call or email to schedule an appointment to ensure that one of our staff is on location for drop off and servicing.

380 Boren Ave North, Seattle, Washington 98109

walter@seattlejazzed.org

(206) 324-5299

JazzED-ucation in Action: Sam Boshnack

As one of Seattle JazzED’s seasoned educators of four years, Samantha Boshnack, Seattle-based trumpet player, composer, and bandleader can be found each week leading JazzED’s brightest beginners in Foundations trumpet sectionals.

Boshnack first started playing trumpet at age ten in her public-school band program. She became hooked on music, and jazz, pretty quickly. and the tunes of Kenny Burrell, Miles Davis, and Hugh Masekela were some of her early inspirations.  “I like the sound and I love the feeling of making the sound. There's just something kind of cathartic and visceral and sort of soothing to blowing a trumpet that I can't really explain.”

Composing has been an important part of her life ever since she was introduced to it in college. “I feel like that's a big part of me that I have to tend to; I need to play it, but I also really need to write.” She has released five albums of original music and has been commissioned by organizations including 4Culture and the Seattle Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.

Many of her compositions start from improvisation. Compared to playing a solo on the trumpet, the exciting thing about composing is that it offers a space to expand on an idea and reveal the full artistic vision. “You get that extra opportunity to really choose the good stuff and then flesh it out big, add lots of lines, and just take it to a whole other level.” For example, her most recent work, an orchestral jazz song cycle titled “Uncomfortable Subjects”, is written for a twelve-member jazz chamber group including strings, winds, and voice.

Whether she’s composing or playing, the opportunity for group creativity is one of her favorite aspects of jazz. Jazz musicians have the freedom to communicate and create with other instruments and make music that encompasses everyone. “Every person on their instrument has a different voice and a different sound and if you can create a sum of all those voices…that's something really special that jazz does.” 

Like many musicians, Boshnack’s performance schedule was interrupted by COVID. Prior to the pandemic she regularly performed with the Royal Room Collective Music Ensemble led by Wayne Horvitz. She also leads several ensembles, including an alternative chamber orchestra that combines improvisation and orchestral music called B’shnorkestra.

These days Boshnack has primarily been composing and teaching. She hasn’t been performing much due to a shoulder injury, but now that she’s recovered she’s “excited to get back to performing.” To learn about what she’s up to these days, you can check out her website.

Enrollment Now Open for Fall Music Programs

We're entering a new season of programming! Musicians can choose between three tiers of in-person learning; Foundations (Beginner), Connections (Intermediate), and Explorations (Advanced). Classes and ensembles are slated to start the first week of October. 

As always, all programs are offered to the community on a sliding scale and families can choose what they would like to pay, with free loaner instruments available for every student!

Foundations

Start here if you're new to making music or continuing with us from Foundations Summer Camp! We’ll teach you what you need to know about your instrument of choice in this year long class. Grades 4-8. Enroll now!

Foundations

Connections

Connections I + II

With two level options for musicians, those who have been playing for at least one year are invited to kick it up a notch and start to explore their musicality! Grades 5-8. Sign up today! 

Explorations

Getting into Gigging students

Explorations: Getting into Gigging
Want to get paid to play? Learn improvisation and jam session skills this fall! Bonus points: students who have completed the class will be eligible to represent JazzED by playing paid gigs out in the community. Grades 9-12. Add your name to the roster. 

Explorations: Girls Ellington Project
Join Seattle’s all-girls, all-city jazz band and prepare your audition for the Essentially Ellington Festival this year! Grades 9-12. Save your seat.

Explorations: Mentors in Training
Earn service hours and learn music teaching techniques directly from expert educators. Become a mentor this fall! Grades 9-12. Lead the way.