Jazz Outreach Initiative Launches New Project, "Swingin' Strings" for local Title 1 Elementary Schools in Collaboration with The Smith Center Education and Outreach Division
- Donny Thompson, Exec. Dir.
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Jazz Outreach Initiative Co-Founder and V.P. of Education and Programming, Gary Cordell, launched a new project on Wednesday November 19th, 2025, called "Swingin' Strings."
An extension of JOI's acclaimed "Buzzin' in Brass" which sends a professional JOI Jazz Brass Quintet into area Title 1 "at risk" elementary schools, "Swingin' Strings" brings a unique jazz string quintet into those same identified schools to showcase each of the string family members, how they're made, history about each, and spotlight each in an age appropriate recognizable song centered around jazz. They even get to learn the difference between violin music and fiddle music. The program concludes with a "test" of the student audience's ability to recognize TV and theme music and recall featured string instruments they've learned about.
Members of the quintet in this initial launch included Lauren Cordell (violin 1), Naoko Tanaguchi (violin 2), Arturo Hernandez-Gomez (viola), Moonlight Tran (cello), and Ben Bernstein (bass).
As with "Buzzin' in Brass," "Swingin' Strings" is sponsored by the education and outreach division of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts which recognizes JOI's programs as some of their premier public outreach offerings to the Clark County School District. Following the pilot performance, Amber Bartlett (Asst. Manager of Education & Outreach, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts) who was present to see this program, reconfirmed their strong support of this new project committing to offering CCSD up to 6 presentations in spring 2026 saying, "Swingin' Strings is fantastic and I have no doubt we will get a good amount of interest!" There is no cost to any school hosting a Buzzin' in Brass or Swingin' Strings program.
Besides these two programs, The Smith Center also hosts "Jazz for Young People Concerts" which JOI licenses from New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center Education Department through its long-time affiliation with the renowned musical organization. Jazz for Young People brings students into the beautiful Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center by the thousands at no cost to CCSD to learn about jazz, history, and experience it through listening and tactile learning activities. JOI's next one will be in early March and will again feature JOI's Jazz Vegas Orchestra along with world-renowned vocalist and saxophonist, Camille Thurman in a program entitled "Who is Ella Fitzgerald?".
FUNDING IS STILL NEEDED FOR THIS PROGRAM: Importantly, the majority of this project is sponsored, but $200 per performance remains a liability for Jazz Outreach Initiative. If you would like to sponsor one or more of the spring 2026 presentations of "Swingin' Strings," or if you know a business which may be interested in a corporate co-sponsorship, please reach out to us at info@joi-lv.org or click below to make your charitable end of year donation. Donors to these programs are invited to attend them and witness firsthand the powerful effect it has on hundreds of students at each of these schools as they spontaneously clap and sing to the music.
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