This story is a multimedia project of the Spring 2022 Critical Writing class. Producer/Reporters are Roosa Hirvela, Dayla Licona and Justin Michael.
Some people join clubs, others do sports and some play music together. The USF Jazz program — in the College of the Arts School of Music — is an example of one of many on campus communities. However, the jazz program sticks out because they come together to create music not just play it.
Ross Strauser is a graduate student and saxophonist involved in Jazz Ensemble I at USF. The group’s most recent performance featured some of Strauser’s composed music. In an interview with Strauser, he told us about his inspiration for some of the music and how important his community both here at USF and back home are to him.
His fellow players in the Ensemble, fellow students and instructors alike, said they we were honored to perform Strauser’s piece with him. One performer, trombonist Joseph Callaway, said it was fun to play Strauser’s music.
“I’ve been playing Ross’s tunes all year,” Callaway said.
It was clear how invested members of the group were in supporting Strauser and the music he composed. Strauser is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance specializing in Jazz Composition
Strauser said his music support system is not limited to the performers in the ensemble. In fact many of the members attributed their success to the support from their family and friends, as Strauser did.
Callaway said a good portion of the audience members were students in the music community at USF: “If they were a music student in the audience I knew them.”
Both friends and families came to the concert hall to support the music the Jazz Ensemble had put together. Production manager Wallace Lee Wilcher said that in addition to family and friends coming to listen there were also regular visitors who had been frequenting the jazz performances for almost 13 years.
Our reporting team attended the performance. We recorded some of our thoughts on it in the audio clip below.
Audio Source: Roosa Hirvela
The jazz performances that are held by USF’s music program serve as a means to bring people together in collaboration and celebration of music being created. It truly is an artistic expression from both the composer and performer.
Music is something that has bound communities together for ages. Which is why it is not surprising to see such a strong community of music at USF. Part of the reason why musical communities are so close has to with their shared love of the music they are playing.
Callaway explained what he thought made USF’s music community special.
“Everyone can make it seem like they get along, even if they don’t, there’s nobody who’s out to get you,” he said. Callaway went on to explain that because they are a group, they can put aside their differences and do something they love. Which, in this case, is making sweet jazz.
Being able to support one another and put aside differences to focus on a common goal defines what a community is. When a group of people bands together to do something they love such as playing music, the product more often than not is something truly amazing.
The line up for the night’s performance 
Scales and tuning can be heard in distance as the stage awaits its performers for the night 
The lights focus on the stage and conductor begins conducting as the Performance begins and the audience quiets 
The other performers play quieter as the saxophone solo takes the spotlight 
All four horns being played together light up the crowd with their explosive inntonation and sound 
With loud support of the trumpets behind him, This sax player stands and begins an intricate solo 
Supported by percussion, This trombone player feels out the beat in a solo performance. 
Applause fills the theater to congratulate performers on their performance. 
The concert hall erupts with cheers and applause after a thrilling performance by those on stage 
Jazz performers attempt to stay still after an exciting performance
