TEACHING ARTIST SESSION CATEGORIES
Jeremy Benoit “JB Saax ” takes students through a crash course of how Jazz began and the integral role the saxophone plays in its inception. This course involves a live saxophone performance demonstrating many different types of jazz techniques and also sheds light on how America’s original music genre massively shaped the country in its wake.
Jeremy Benoit, aka “JB Saax,” takes students through a journey of the professional recording artist/studio engineer. Students will be exposed to basic, intermediate, and advanced recording techniques and will even be granted the opportunity to record their own personal soundtrack. This course gives exposure to music industry standard operations and provides insight on how professional entertainers integrated these systems into their everyday lives.
The Mermaid Music Showcase is an interactive music and movement experience that introduces students to rhythm, singing, creative expression, listening skills, and musical storytelling through an imaginative under-the-sea adventure. Students actively participate by singing, echoing rhythms, moving with the music, and creating sound together using age-appropriate activities that encourage confidence, cooperation, creativity, and self-expression. Each presentation is designed for Pre-K through elementary students and aligns with arts education goals by strengthening musical awareness, focus, imagination, and group participation. No advance preparation is required, but teachers are encouraged to enjoy the experience alongside their students.
The Ocean Calm introduces students to the calming sounds of instruments from around the world, including crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, harp, gong, chimes, and other peaceful percussion. Students begin with a brief demonstration of each instrument, learning how sound and vibration can encourage relaxation, focused listening, and emotional regulation. They are then invited to sit comfortably or lie quietly while experiencing a guided sound bath designed to promote calm, imagination, and mindful awareness. No prior experience or preparation is required, and teachers are welcome to relax and enjoy the experience alongside their students while providing normal classroom supervision. Students need to wear comfortable clothing and have enough space to sit or lie down comfortably.
You can hear it at festivals, at barbecues, and on the radio. Maybe your family knows how to dance to it, and it is firmly woven into the soundscape of Louisiana. But where did it come from? This interactive history lesson will answer that and also address how important it is to keep our tradition and culture alive.
Can you do the Zydeco? In this session, everyone can! Students will get the chance to learn core Zydeco instruments: the accordion, washboard, drums, and the triangle. They will also be learning songs that are sung in both French and English. Then it’s time to grab a partner to “LaLa” (which means “to dance” in Zydeco-speak) and bring culture alive in the classroom.
Where, you may ask, do songs come from? In the session “Expression Through Songwriting,” students will learn about the creative process that goes behind writing a song. They will hear examples based on the personal experiences of a songwriter, and will be guided to find their own inspiration. Then, students will work together to create a song. This flexible session can be adapted for certain holidays, so chat with the artist about options after booking!
Time to sing and make stories! In Audrey Broussard’s Music and Storytelling session, students will learn and sing along to songs that open their creativity. Students will learn about rhythm by using percussion shakers, and they will be accompanied on guitar while they sing and move. Audrey will use the kids song “Magic Soup” as a vehicle for students to move the story along with their imaginations. Students will continue weaving music and stories through activities that feature music by Laurie Berkner and songs from Lisa Loeb’s Silly Sing Along.
Genres will blend, creativity and inspiration will be unlocked, and artistic visions will evolve and merge during Creative Writing Into Songwriting. Through guided creative writing exercises, the students will write poems, flash fiction, or prompts that will be used to fuel their songwriting experience. Much music will ensue. This session can be adapted for certain holidays, so please chat with the artist about options after booking!
They say magazines are dead, but zines are alive, thriving, and letting artists share their messages! Zines are cool, creative handmade publications that express ideas, emotions, and images in a short, accessible form. Students will learn about the history of zines and make their own mini-zine. Students can pick their own zine topics, or a class can work with their current curriculum. Chat with the artist about options after booking!