Testimonials
"It's hard to capture lightning in a bottle but our week with The Westerlies in Montgomery did just that. Their musicianship is unparalleled and their talent extraordinary but that doesn’t begin to capture what they accomplished for our Students.
ClefWorks connects musicians with students in schools that are underserved in the arts. We try to offer a dose of inspiration through talent and connection in small groups. Few groups have been as effective, empathetic and energizing as The Westerlies. They play without sheet music or stands, moving around and through the students and in all sorts of venues. The connection that fosters surprised me. It was far more engaging for our students to see them in that vibrant way. In addition, they’ve crafted several engagement activities that are designed to make students consider deeply the power of composition and teamwork — lessons far beyond the Stage.
The impression and inspiration they left behind in our schools will last for years to come. Especially powerful for our students is their personal story of how they came together through school band and built lasting careers traveling around the world. You can’t imagine the doors that opens for our students, many of whom have never been to a concert or left their home county. The energy, generosity and empathy of The Westerlies will linger long after their songs."
- Jenny Brown, Clefworks Montgomery, AL
“The Westerlies hit each of our high school band rooms with a creative force that energized, enriched and motivated our students. From the inspiration they received in hearing of the group members’ own journeys, to the artistic skills of developing a musical idea into composition, our jazz students experienced something unique that will last them throughout their musical lives. Five months later, I stopped in one of our band classes and caught the students 'Westerliesing'! The group name has now become a verb among our young musicians.”
- Debbie Fahmie, Osceola District Schools, FL
“The Westerlies are a charismatic quartet and they are a joy to present to any audience! Their creative programming and energetic personalities make them accessible to students of all ages. Their ability to connect with young people and share their talents of performance, composition and teaching make them true ambassadors of world-class music making!”
- Emily Werne, The Juilliard School
“The Westerlies took our summer program to a whole new level. These four musicians, accessible and down to earth with a strong communication style and good sense of fun, helped our students take their improvising from the theoretical to the practical, pushing them to think out of the box and not be afraid to do so. They were so popular with our students that we are bringing them back this year to do two more master classes.”
- Britt Madsen, Seattle JazzEd
“When they come to town, musical excitement always ensues. This year, they were featured artists in our Jazz in the Methow Weekend, where they performed in concert, fired up an all-ages jam session, and led a fascinating improvisation workshop attended by nineteen people ranging in age from 14 to 80. We look forward to many more years of collaboration with these very creative musicians."
- George Schneider, Cascadia Music, WA
