Liam Batteau reports on his experience at the University of Cincinnati where he is studying “High School Jazz intensive in Bass.” Liam has been adjusting to dorm life and learning music theory. He says that his first week has been filled with “exciting and interesting moments.”
“This week we have worked on music theory, improvisation, combo work, and experiencing jazz in the real world. Our instructors have given us hands-on opportunities to play jazz, allowing experimentation. These activities have also allowed me to meet many new people. One key trait I have learned during this program is that being able to work with different people allows you to gain an understanding of different skills,” Liam says.
“During class, although we do learn a lot, we don’t have any specific work to do after class. This is very beneficial because I can practice certain skills on my own. The work we do receive in class can be very challenging. The extreme focus on music theory is very new to me and is somewhat hard to understand at times. I love this challenge because just in the few days I have been here I have learned so much that will continue to help me in my musical journey,” Liam explains.
“The academic challenge isn’t the only challenge that I have faced during my experience here. Getting used to the dorm life is very unique, my roommates have been very nice and it’s been nice getting to know new people. It has been hard though getting used to sleeping in another bed and not being able to really express my feelings, always being around other people. I have been becoming more and more homesick as time goes on, it’s truly been a struggle being far away from home not having any family around, and not knowing the location,” Liam adds.
Although being so far from home and family has been an adjustment, Liam has enjoyed meeting new people, trying out new food, and enjoying jam sessions with friends.
“If I am being honest, living away from home hasn’t been everything I hoped it would be, I miss everything about home. Being away from the city does allow for new kinds of fun. Some examples of this are walking to the food hall and trying new foods with friends or having jam sessions in between classes. In all, I have loved this experience, and it taught me so much about who I am and the depth of beautiful jazz music,” Liam says.
Final Week — Solidifying a Dream
As the program entered its final days, Liam reports that he learned many important jazz standards, practiced improvisation, participated in jam sessions, and prepared songs for performance. Although the program was “challenging with high expectations from the instructors,” Liam says that the tight schedule pushed him to “work hard and improve.” The program also helped Liam choose a specific career path in music.
“During studio time, we practiced improvisation and how to communicate with other musicians on stage. Jam sessions are a quintessential element of jazz. At the very end of the week, everyone played in one giant jam session, each taking part in a solo. In jam sessions, the personality of players is expressed; most players have a certain lick they use in all of their solos. My biggest achievement was becoming a better soloist. This was the biggest leap I made at this camp. Solos have always been an interesting skill of mine. Most solos I played before were very similar, and honestly, I wasn’t very confident. However, after this camp, I truly understood the formula for a creative solo,” Liam explains.
“The CCM Jazz Intensive helped me decide I want to become a music producer or studio musician in the future. The program opened my eyes to career opportunities in the field of music that I was unaware of. I would love to have a career in music, and this camp helped solidify that dream. To reach this goal, I know I will need to work hard and dedicate more of my time to music. I felt both challenged and inspired by the talented students around me,” Liam adds.
“This experience boosted my confidence and gave me clear goals to strive for. The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music High School Jazz Intensive was a valuable experience that taught me how to be a better musician. I would definitely recommend the program to future GFF students. The faculty was very knowledgeable and gave us the tools to help further our musical adventures. The skills and knowledge I gained will help me create music that brings joy and life to the world around me. I don’t know where life will end up taking me, and I don’t know if I will make it in a career in music, but I do know that I will always have music with me no matter where this unpredictable world takes me,” Liam says.
We are happy to hear that the program helped you not only grow as a musician, but also define your career goals. Good job, Liam!
>> Read Liam Batteau’s Final Report (PDF File, 28 KB).
>> Learn about the other students experiences in the GFF Scholarship Program.
