[monoslideshow id=186]Last week, jazz saxophonist Nathan Childers came to WHS to run an all-day workshop for the various WHS bands. Childers has performed with many famous bands and music legends such as Aretha Franklin, and he has also made on-screen appearances in movies such as Sex and the City 2.
Not only is Childers a longtime college friend of WHS band director Joseph Oneschuk, but as a Yamaha performing artist and Rico-endorsed artist, he is sponsored by educational branches that allow him to work with students of all different ages. Childers has enjoyed his experiences teaching various classes.
“What’s really great about clinics is I get to meet new people, hear talented students, learn different stories about what interests them and meet interesting directors,” Childers said.
Recently, Oneschuk recommended Childers to other schools in Massachusetts and asked him to come teach workshops in Wayland.
“I want music to be inspiring and meaningful for students,” Childers said.
“[Childers] is an amazing performer, a real life working artist, and I think it’s great anytime you get to bring an artist with real life experience in to work with students,” Oneschuk said.
During the WHS workshop, Childers began by playing for band students and showing them what a typical warmup is like. Then, Childers showed the students how to improv. Afterward, Childers listened to the groups play and gave them his feedback. At the end of each workshop, there was a question and answer session.
Oneschuk hoped that Childers would pass on both musical advice and experiences that would affect all members of the band.
“He has the ability to reach [out to] all different [instrument players] because he can talk about what it’s like to go and audition for music school when you’re a senior in high school,” Oneschuk said. “Or he can talk about what it’s like to audition for graduate school or what it’s like to make your way in the world as an artist.”
In addition, Childers wants his clinics to give students an outlet from their typical school days.
“[I hope] a school day isn’t necessarily class, class, class, class, class, homework, homework, homework,” Childers said. “We all get into that routine where our life gets into little chunks, and I want music to be inspiring and meaningful for students.”
