Shared Musical Experiences

This week, students from Weber's performing ensembles had the opportunity to attend a live performance by Leyla McCalla, a multi-instrumentalist and alumna of the Grammy-winning African American string band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, at the University of Georgia. Drew Cohen, Weber’s Music Program Director, accompanied the students. Mr. Cohen takes every opportunity to expose students to world-class musicians because “facilitating culturally diverse shared musical experiences is crucial for students learning to make music together.” After the performance, students participated in a Q&A session with McCalla and her band, where they gained insight into the professional musician experience, performing as a band, and the music industry. Future plans to hear visiting musicians include traveling back to The University of Georgia to hear music from blind American jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker and Scottish Contemporary folk band Breabach.