by Divya Kumar
News Editor
When the word ‘band’ is brought up at Coppell, the first thought in most minds is that of the high school’s marching band. However, the recent formation of a new Jazz Club created by juniors Alex Park and Krish Suresh looks forward to bringing a new type of band to CHS.
Park and Suresh, saxophone and percussion players respectively, are both active members of the CHS band. Both excel in their respective musical areas and show a passion for their instrument. This passion has increased within the last year, when thoughts of expanding the style of music that CHS is used to were brought up.
“I went to a jazz camp over the summer at Baylor [University in Waco],” Park said. “I loved the way the music sounded and how laid back everything was.”
Following up on this newfound love for jazz, Park and Suresh consulted Spanish teacher Patrick Melville, who recommended they form a club and volunteered to be its sponsor. The club currently holds around 26 members, who steadfastly meet every Wednesday in the cafeteria in order to practice. Members are instructed to bring their respective jazz instrument to each meeting, during which they will prepare for what Park and Suresh hope will ultimately end up with a performance.
“Really, we just want everyone to be introduced to this style of music,” Park said. “And we also want to give students and teachers the chance to fall back into music. It wasn’t too hard to spread word and get a group of students and sponsors.”
Beyond being just a sponsor for this upcoming club, Melville also happens to have a personal history in jazz. His beginnings in music originated with his parents, both of whom followed through with careers in jazz.
“My mom is a singer and my dad plays the trombone professionally with a band,” Melville said. “I remember going to bed at night to the sound of his band practicing in the living room. I guess you could say that I basically grew up with jazz.”
Melville allowed his passion for jazz to carry him through college at the University of North Texas, during which he decided to minor in jazz studies. Now he plays gigs in Dallas during the summers and performs at other opportunities during which a pianist, trumpet player, bass player or, the instrument in which he specializes, a guitar player, may be needed.
As for his role as sponsor, besides providing some extra personal jazz music for the club to practice with, Melville also volunteers to fill in for any missing instruments during practices. As for the other co-sponsor of the club, math teacher Ian VanderSchee, jazz may not be as prevalent a part of his life, however, his role as conductor of the band does serve as a rather important one.
“I’ve conducted before for church choirs, and I’ve really enjoyed it,” VanderSchee said. “I was really excited when Alex and Krish approached me to do this.”
The purpose of the club meetings are to help members hone their musical skills and learn more about the genre of jazz.
“The club is really just for fun and a good way to bring about appreciation for this genre of music, which isn’t really focused on much in areas around Coppell,” Suresh said.
The ultimate goal of the club, according to its founders, is to hold a spring concert alongside the official band in order to demonstrate the skills they have learned over the process of the semester. Beyond just prepping for this concert, club members appear to take an interest not only in the type of instruments they’re playing, but also the new type of music overall.
“What’s really inspiring about this whole thing is everyone’s eagerness,” Melville said. “It’s easy to start something half-heartedly with people occasionally showing up. But with this, everyone seems super excited to be a part, and I think that’s what’s going to carry us through.”
Melville also expresses hope for the club performing at non-academic UILs sponsored by colleges. But for now, as the club is still in its early stages, members will continue to polish their music skills, practice their instruments, learn new music… and all that jazz.
