Meet the Teachers!

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CMW’s online teaching has begun!
Zoom lessons are swinging into high gear this fall, with teachers and students settling into the rhythms of online learning. While many students (more than half of our entire student body!!) remained engaged over the summer with online lessons, it’s felt good to have a fresh start to online lessons this fall – and in many ways, teachers and students are feeling more comfortable and at ease in the online format. (We’ve all certainly had a lot of practice by now!)
Our opening First Tuesday online workshop welcomed CMW students and families to the start of a new year with icebreakers, a virtual musical scavenger hunt, and this get-to-know video of our Resident Musicians and Fellows: MEET THE TEACHERS!
While there are certain parts of teaching music that still are just plain difficult online (for example, playing together), teachers and students together are finding some fun and creative workarounds (for example, passing improvisations back and forth to a shared backing track).
Also, we’re excited to offer some additional classes this fall for students who are looking to dive deep in different areas. We’ll be sharing details about each of these classes,  including songwriting and music theory, in the weeks to come.

Today, the spotlight is on a new class called “Jazz to Hip Hop Improv,” offered by the wonderful violinist Kevin Lowther, aka Big Lux.

Kevin grew up in Westerly, RI and is a 13 year army veteran who who served all over the world as a combat engineer officer. He owns two violins that are combat veterans, one served in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan. Kevin is now a full time musician and DJ based in RI, specializing in jazz, hip hop and R&B. He released an EP in 2019 called “Major” and was a featured performer and speaker at TEDx Providence. He is also an activist seeking social change and reconciliation. He has a Bachelor’s degree in languages from West Point and an MBA from the University of Miami.
Kevin notes that, “artists like Ezinma, Black Violin, Daniel D, Josh Vietti, Lee England, and Ashanti “the Mad Violinist Floyd” show that improvised performances over hip hop beats can be exciting and powerful. Many of these artists blend classical and jazz techniques to create an entirely new sound. Most string players learn the classical techniques but are not exposed to the Jazz and Blues techniques that can make improvisation come alive. That is where this course comes in!”
We’re THRILLED to welcome Big Lux, and invite you to learn more about him on his website: