Family Jam
The Family Jam is the performance component of our music school which provides a vehicle for our students to play with other students, their families or to play live with our incredible team of Musical Mentors. The Family Jam is not expected to be a polished recital piece but rather something for our students to work towards and an opportunity to experience a live jam in a professional venue. Our JamLab community is a welcoming and supportive audience who cheer on each musician with enthusiasm. Because our private lessons are typically in family’s homes or private studios, we cherish the moments where those of us can come together and celebrate our students' musical achievements.
At last year’s Family Jam, we saw a student accompany his Musical Mentor on a flute that he had just learned how to play a few weeks before, a young girl who had never had the confidence to sing in front of others take the stage and amaze her family and friends, a father and daughter perform a Taylor Swift song on acoustic guitar, three students jam in a band for the very first time, all while being cheered on by their incredible Musical Mentors and our supportive community.
The benefits of participating in our Family Jam can’t be emphasized enough.
1. Connection- We live in a world where children and students simply don’t connect enough. The opportunity to play with other students as they prepare for the Family Jam puts the focus on interplay creating a special relationship between performers, even if they have just met a few weeks before. It provides an opportunity to see how building on their skills allows them to speak the magical language of music and share a journey together. Families who play music together typically forge closer relationships and spend more quality time together.
2. Practice- One of the questions we are asked often is how frequently should a student practice and how do we get them to practice more? Students who are preparing for a performance, especially one where they are playing with others, practice more. Some might wait until a few days before and some start months in advance but at some point, they will start to take playing a little more seriously. The excitement of preparing for a live performance usually means you will see your student want to be better prepared, building on success, honing in on their instrument and this is typically where we start to see students fall in love with making music.
3. Confidence- We have seen students who are scared to speak publicly in class, take the stage and belt out their favourite pop song. Students who are open to performing in a jam, learn to trust their instincts and adapt to changing environments. Our performers are reminded multiple times that there will be mistakes made, to be prepared for fluidity and from this comes resilience.
4. Audience Engagement- Our audience is the most enthusiastic and supportive around. The students feel this energy and audience members witness the birth of budding musicians in real time and feel a part of our creative process. We always start our performances with a group song led by one of our Musical Mentors and close off with a collaborative performance. Our Family Jams build community. Neighbours meet neighbours. Old friends reconnect. We hold our performances in casual professional venues with food and drinks available, so the environment feels friendly and relaxed.
We really encourage all of our students to participate in our Family Jams. It’s a unique and special opportunity to be together, making music, celebrating our learning and developing new skills. Please stay tuned for more information regarding our upcoming annual Family Jams.
