Gianfranco+Tornatore+Joshua+Renick


 * CS51. Gianfranco Tornatore & Joshua Renick ** – //Creativity in the Jazz Classroom: The Intersection Between Theory and Practice//

May 28 Saturday 10:45-11:30 PM HM 152

The aim of this presentation is to discuss the practical and theoretical issues involved in creating a jazz education classroom which promotes creativity between the teacher and the students through the standard jazz repertoire. This presentation will focus on our experience in creating secondary school jazz education classrooms in the inner city. Affiliation/Bio: Teachers College, Columbia University, doctoral student, gt2140@columbia.edu. Gianfranco Tornatore is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, New York University, and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education at Teachers College of Columbia University while teaching and performing in the New York City Area. He founded a music program at a middle school in Washington Heights where he teaches, and has released three albums as a leader. Gianfranco has been recognized by numerous organizations and publications, such as //Downbeat Magazine// for his musical achievements as a bandleader, composer, and performer, and by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz as a semi-finalist in the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. Co-presenter: Joshua Renick, Teachers College, Columbia University, doctoral student, Jsr2112@columbia.edu. Joshua Renick is a doctoral student in the Program of Music and Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where for three years he also served as the director of student teaching. A native of San Francisco, Joshua is a graduate of San Francisco State University where he earned a B.A. in United States history and a minor in music performance (saxophone). In addition to his work at Teachers College, he also taught for four years in Webop, the early childhood music education program at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Before arriving in New York City in the fall of 2004 to begin his studies at Teachers College, Joshua taught elementary general music and junior high school instrumental music for six years in the Ross Valley School District in Marin County, California. Currently, Joshua is the director of the instrumental music program at MS219, Bronx, New York.