Ramsay High School Music Students See Themselves in One of Country’s Premiere Black Orchestras

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Story and Photographs by Marika N. Johnson | Special to the Birmingham Times

A group of Ramsay IB High School Orchestra students last week got a chance to meet one of the premiere African American orchestras at the Alabama Theatre.

Ahead of Atlanta-based Orchestra Noir’s Saturday evening performance, the Ramsay students attended an open rehearsal and got a chance to see the professionals up close.

“My students had so much fun,” said Ramsay IB’s Orchestral Music teacher, Rachel Christmas. “I’m so glad they were able to see a full orchestra with musicians that looked like them … As a Black violinist myself, I didn’t get to see that very often growing up. I’m glad I was able to provide that opportunity and experience for them. They were dancing and singing along the whole time. Their favorite part was being able to come on stage and meet the musicians.”

Maestro Jason Ikeem Rodgers who led Orchestra Noir’s high energy performance thanked the Ramsay Orchestra for visiting during the warm-up session.

“We want to show African American kids that we are here … they have representation on stage and in orchestral music,” he said, adding “keep music in the schools.”

Rodgers knows the importance of music in schools. Before founding Orchestra Noir, he was an instrumental music teacher in the public school system, teaching strings, drums, and vocals. Reflecting on last week’s visit with students, he said, “It brought me back to when I was an educator and able to show them different career options … It was a delight and a full-circle moment for me.”

Birmingham was the first city on this year’s Orchestra Noir tour that included a visit from local schools, something the maestro hopes to incorporate during every stop.

While classically trained, Rodgers gained recognition in the hip-hop world for his arrangements for international stars such as Rick Ross and Migos. He also created the arrangement for 2Chainz’s song “Forgiven,” which was featured on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

Rodgers earned his Professional Studies Degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music, a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from the same institution.