Sauk Trail students will have an opportunity to interact with professional jazz musicians on Wednesday, March 8 thanks to two grants.

The Madison Jazz Society and the District's Global Initiative Grant project provided funding for Sauk Trial to have an have an all-school jazz and world music assembly with four professional musicians and special guests from Sauk Trail performing with music teacher John Becker.

Some students will have the chance to “sit in” with the band as jazz vocalists and improvisers. Before the afternoon assembly bassist Laurie Lang Croasdale of Middleton is doing jazz workshops with Becker for each classroom, kindergarten through fiourth grade.

In addition to the jazz artists-in-residence, Sauk Trail students have also had the chance to work with classical musicians from the Madison Symphony in connection with their “Up Close and Musical” program, as well as with hip-hop dancers through a grant from the MCPASD Education Foundation.

“I am very grateful to all of these funding organizations for bringing these performing artists educators directly to our Sauk Trail students,” Becker said.