Jazz
Tourism In South Carolina
By Doc
Lawrence
.jpg)
AIKEN, South Carolina
–This lovely city is well known for thoroughbred horses and all sorts of stylish
equestrian competition. Like most of the South, when you look around, there’s
always more to keep a visitor occupied and entertained.
The 5th annual Julliard in
Aiken Festival just concluded and what an event it was. Yes, this is the same
New York City headquartered music school so identified with excellence. What may
not be well-known is the school’s very prestigious Jazz program, turning out
some distinguished alums like Jazz greats Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea and
Christian McBride who rank musically with other Julliard graduates like Academy
Award winning composer John Williams and classical pianist Van Cliburn. The
Julliard in Aiken Festival is firmly
established as one of the most impressive, mutually beneficial relationships in
the country.
The schedule featured an
evening performance at the Green Boundary Club by the Julliard Jazz Artists
Diploma Ensemble, composed of Julliard’s most advanced jazz musicians. The selections included songs by Hoagie
Carmichael and more than arrangement inspired memories of the Dave Brubeck
Quartet. Just prior to my leaving for Atlanta, the group surfaced for a repeat
performance at The Willcox, one of the best luxury hotels anywhere in America,
The intimate concert in the bar was what you’d expect in New Orleans or Key
West.
Even with their busy performing
schedules, the Julliard artists stay busier yet behind the scenes, with daily
performances in regional schools as part of the Julliard in Aiken Outreach
Program. Dr. Sandra Field, President of Juilliard in Aiken, said that “outreach
is very important to Juilliard’s mission, and to ours, too. It’s a huge part of what the Juilliard
artists are here for. When they’re not on stage they’re in the schools,” she
said. “They teach in their disciplines,
but they also serve as mentors and role models.”
The exclusive Juilliard in
Aiken Performing Arts Festival and Outreach Program is the only partnership of
its kind maintained by Juilliard anywhere in the world. The Festival began in
2009, thanks to an extraordinary gift to Juilliard by two Pulitzer Prize-winning
authors, Aiken residents Gregory White Smith and Steven Naifeh, who bequeathed
the use of their mansion, Joye Cottage, to the school.
Tourism’s trajectory is soaring
here in this wonderful part of America. Offer excellence and people will come.
The truly lucky ones will stay.
Be proud, Aiken.
