W.C. HANDY FESTIVAL MUSIC CAMP 2016
April 19, 2016 – Trumpeter Ken Watters will return as director of the 23rd W.C. Handy Music Camp, to be held June 6-9, 2016 on the campus of the University of North Alabama. The camp is designed for students of all ages with a curriculum encompassing theory, private lessons, sectionals, combo, big band, and improvisation performance history. This year’s instructors will include Watters, a Summit Recording artist with five internationally released top 50 jazz albums; Charles Rose, trombonist and pianist and member of both Muscle Shoals Horns and Muscle Shoals Music Revue; Gary Wheat, saxophonist and jazz improvisationalist, who performs professionally in Birmingham and travels nationally; Howard Lamb, trombonist, who leads the Memphis Jazz Orchestra and serves as jazz trombone instructor at the University of Memphis; Mark Lanter, drummer, who performs, teaches, and travels internationally to Columbia, South America and Israel; Robert Dickson, bassist and guitarist, who after receiving his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alabama and Master of Music from the University of New Orleans, can be found performing in and around New Orleans and Atlanta.
The camp will culminate with a concert Thursday, June 9th at 6:00 p.m. in the University of North Alabama Band Room. The concert will feature both students and their instructors, and is open to the public. Prior to that, the faculty and some students will perform at a Handy Camp Lunch jam session at Rosie’s restaurant on Wednesday, June 8th from noon until 1pm.
Deadline for completed Handy Music Camp registration is June 1, 2016. Information regarding a limited number of scholarships for youth can be had by calling the Handy Festival office at 256-764-7642. For the music camp registration forms, access www.WCHandyMusicFestival.org or some local school systems. The annual W.C. Handy Music Camp is sponsored by the Music Preservation Society and the University of North Alabama Department of Music. For more information, contact Handy Camp Director Ken Watters at: 256-660-5059.
