What's so cool about BluesEd?

Shout out to Montez of 961 Kiss Online at iHeartRadio for the wonderful podcast with several members of the BluesEd Leadership Team. We had a great day discussing what makes BluesEd so unique and how talented students can get involved in BluesEd. We would encourage any student who wants to expand their talents to check out the BluesEd program at our BluesEd Benefit Concert on Sunday at The Slowdown. 

In this first segment, Trudy discusses the beginnings of BluesEd and how it has evolved.

• BluesEd was started by the Blues Society of Omaha in 2001 
• Currently, BluesEd includes 50 students within 7 bands
• BluesEd is not school specific and students come from all over the region, including Lincoln and surrounding Iowa communities
• Performances occur multiple times a week during the BluesEd season - April to August

Listen to "bluesED seg 01 - trudy discusses beginnings" on Spreaker.

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In this segment, Susie and Chris discuss Blues music and the accolades the BluesEd program has received.

• Blues genre is the foundation of all modern rock.
• Modern Blues artists many students may know:  Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, etc
• BluesEd was the winner of the "Keeping the Blues Alive" award from the International Blues Foundation
• BluesEd is unique within the country and other Blues Societies contact us to model their own youth education program after our successful program
• BluesEd bands have a chance to perform at the International Youth Showcase in Memphis, Tennessee 

Listen to "bluesED seg 02 - susie and chris discuss genres and accolades" on Spreaker.

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Want to be in a BluesEd band?  In this segment we discuss the audition process and the professional musician mentors for BluesEd.

• Middle and high school students must be proficient in their instrument before they audition.
• Auditions held in January/February.  Performances start in April and continue through August.
• BluesEd Clinicians who mentor our bands are all well-known, working musicians in the Omaha/Lincoln area.
• Special clinics, included in the tuition fee, are held with many national touring artists during the BluesEd season.  

Listen to "bluesED seg 03 - audition process and mentors" on Spreaker.

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The following segment BluesEd Leaders discuss:

• song selections by bands
• how the bands take on their own personality with the type of music they choose to perform
• how BluesEd students learn how to write original music and perform at the end of the season

Listen to "bluesED seg 04 - song catalog process" on Spreaker.

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In this segment, we discuss the impact being in a BluesEd band has on the students lives:

• how BluesEd promotes leadership, confidence and teamwork
• how BluesEd teaches students how to be professionals 
• how being around other passionate student musicians fosters growth as a person

Listen to "bluesED seg 05 - being in a bluesED band" on Spreaker.

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BluesEd has "graduated" over 200 students in the past 17 years.  Many students have gone on to major in music in college and perform with their own bands now. 

• ​BluesEd alum & current Iheartradio employee, Connor, to discuss how BluesEd impacted her life and continues to do so years after she graduated.​​
• BluesEd alum's performing nationally and locally 
• Even those BluesEd alums who are not currently performing music still take many great memories and experiences away that help them as adults
  

Listen to "bluesED seg 06 - after bluesED-alum" on Spreaker.

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In this final segment,

• BluesEd discusses all the performance opportunities afforded to our bands
• Describes Playing with Fire & our 15 year partnership
• BluesEd Alum. Connor, shares her insights of performing at Playing with Fire as a BluesEd student
• All continue to "Keep the Blues Alive"

Listen to "bluesED seg 07 - pwf_LAST SEGMENT" on Spreaker.