Max Haymer ’03 performed at an HW Jazz Alumni Concert during lunch in Chalmers 104 on Oct. 30. Haymer is a professional jazz pianist who has experience performing with artists including Arturo Sandoval, Jane Monheit and the New York Voices while leading his own trio.
Jazz Band and Jazz Explorers member Christian Indelicato ’27 attended the concert and said he appreciated the chance to listen to the trio’s performance on campus.
“It felt like a productive use of my time because it was an opportunity to listen to talented jazz musicians without needing to find a concert myself and buy tickets,” Indelicato said. “I enjoyed the music and appreciated the result of hard work and practice, which was evident throughout the performance.”
Katie Myer ’27 said although she is not a musician, as an artist, she still enjoyed the concert and gained creative inspiration for her own work.
“As someone who grew up with jazz being my favorite [music genre], having the trio come to our school was just unbelievable,” Myer said. “They were so talented and I could just feel how the entire room lit up when they played. With the end of the quarter approaching, it was such a nice way to wind down with some beautiful music. Although I’m not a musician, I love writing and making films and it actually helped me figure out an idea for Westflix.”
Upper School Performing Arts Teacher Chris Sullivan said he planned this event as a way for students to enjoy live music at school.
“I wanted our students to experience this music live and up close,” said Sullivan. “When I first came [to the school] I found myself constantly recommending shows and concerts to students, but most of those professional performances take place late at night, on school nights or at 21+ venues. That’s when I had the idea to flip it around and bring the music to HW instead.”
Indelicato said watching the trio perform motivated him to adopt some of their jazz techniques.
“The performance inspired me to incorporate their musical ideas into my improvisation,” Indelicato said. “Improvisation is a difficult skill, and it requires learning techniques from listening to talented jazz musicians. [This concert] helped me improve musically and inspired me to become a better musician.”
Sullivan said he wanted to give students opportunities to be excited about jazz and also remind them that the genre remains relevant in the modern art scene.
“I hope our students leave feeling inspired and enthusiastic about the music,” Sullivan said. “Jazz is an exciting art form. The more you get to know it, the more gratifying it becomes to listen to and play. I want students to understand that jazz is thriving, not an outdated genre preserved in schools.”
