WHEELS band students and teachers have been diligently practicing every day this summer. Students are attending several of the best summer music programs in the city. Dr. T. and Mr. Johnson are taking percussion, drum, bass and piano lessons, and practicing and performing with various jazz groups. All band students are preparing for WHEELS band auditions in September. In case you need more practice logs to fill out, here is a link to a blank practice log.

Congratulations to the five WHEELS middle school students who received full scholarships to attend Jazz at Lincoln Center's Middle School Jazz Academy! Two of these five students play alto saxophone, and the others play trombone, bass and drums, respectively. And congratulations to our talented high school drummer and percussionist who received a full scholarship to play in the prestigious Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra. We recognize the hard work these students put in to earn these opportunities, and are grateful to Jazz at Lincoln Center for the top-notch music instruction they provide.

Today Dr. T. and Mr. Johnson got to observe expert instructors teach band classes at Camp MSM! Five WHEELS band students received full scholarships to attend this competitive, international music program at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music.

Yesterday Dr. T. and Mr. Johnson studied drum set with Eric Doob and Latin percussion with Paulo Stagnaro. Eric Doob showed the teachers how to use the drum set to compliment or substitute for parts of the Cha-cha-chá groove traditionally played on Latin percussion instruments. Paulo Stagnaro showed the teachers how to play a style of rumba called guaguancó on the quinto, tres dos, tumbadora, guagua and  claves. Dr. T. and Mr. Johnson are excited and honored to be studying Latin music with Paquito D'Rivera's rhythm section!