Banno to attend exclusive Vail Jazz Workshop

For Johnston High School’s soon-to-be senior Ian Quinton Banno, summer vacation is going to end on a very high note.

The 17-year-old Banno is an extremely talented musician who plays tuba in the school’s concert band, is part of the school’s music production team, and looks to become part of the school’s choir this upcoming school year. Thanks to his dedication to his craft, Banno has been named as one of 12 students from across North America to attend the Vail Jazz Workshop in Colorado.

According to the Vail Jazz Workshop’s website, each year a dozen of North America’s most dedicated, gifted and promising young jazz musicians are chosen from a broad field of talented applicants, receiving scholarships to participate in the 10-day Vail Jazz Workshop. Organized in conjunction with the Vail Jazz Festival, this highly regarded curriculum is now in its 23rd year and has mentored 262 high school-aged musicians since its inception.

The Vail Jazz Workshop, among the longest-running programs of its type, enables student musicians to study and be coached in an environment that emphasizes intense interaction with instructors and fellow students while providing them with the unique opportunity to perform alongside legendary professional musicians at the Vail Jazz Party over Labor Day Weekend.

It’s a rigorous learning experience that is conducted exclusively without any written music, emphasizing listening skills, improvisation and playing by ear. The workshop covers jazz theory, group lessons, private lessons, jazz improvisational work, ensemble participation and multiple performance opportunities, according to the site.

“I also play the upright bass – that’s my main instrument – and every year there’s over 250 applicants, all jazz high school musicians that are 15- to 18-year-olds. They take two people for every instrument: two trombones, two trumpets, two tenor saxophones, two bass players, two drummers and two pianists,” said Banno. “They study under some world renowned musicians. They are maybe the best modern jazz musicians alive today, so to be able to study under them for 10 days is incredible.”

Banno said that when he was in seventh grade and a student in Warwick he was a violinist and violist and made All State that year. He said there was a jazz program there, and he saw the upright bass and asked his teacher if he could play.

“I never would have guessed that it would be what I ended up doing today,” he said. “I loved it.”

While he had thought at the time that he would probably become a financial advisor, he proceeded to join the jazz band and hasn’t looked back since. As a sophomore, he went to a recording studio and recoded jazz with a few of his friends. From there he was further inspired and wanted to do more. He said he now practices for about four hours a day to hone his talents.

To get to Vail, Banno went through a rigorous interview process. He submitted an audition video consisting of three songs, played a song with a group, along with submitting an extensive résumé of groups he’s played with and his background, followed by an interview by phone. Banno’s experience includes playing at The Vet, Symphony Hall in Boston and Carnegie Hall in New York.

Banno’s music teachers are thrilled at the opportunity that the Vail Jazz Workshop offers and are proud of the student and musician he’s become.

“I first met Ian when he was a wee lad in first and second grade. I was a teacher at Thornton where he was a student, and we knew even then as he would raise his hand and insist on answering every question in music class,” said JHS music teacher Oliver Reid, who added that he’s known Banno’s family for quite some time. “We reconnected later when he was in high school, and I didn’t realize the level he had grown to until last year. Ian had a separate talent.”

Reid added that there is a culture in Banno’s family of a love, appreciation and involvement in music and the arts that feeds who Ian is.

“We certainly can’t take credit for where he is, but we hope that we’re fostering a climate where he feels he can do more, and more is expected of him, and we are encouraging him to look at other opportunities,” said Reid. “He’s worked hard and been committed. We talk about his generosity with his talents, too, to invite others in and provide opportunities to play and share with others. It’s not a selfish kind of talent…it’s a generous spirit as a musician.”

Ronald Lamoureux, who has been at the school since 1995 and serves as the band teacher, knows that this opportunity is a huge one for Banno.

“Ian impresses me as a very giving musician. I’ve not heard him say to one of our other kids anything negative about their playing. I’ve only heard picking other kids up,” he said. “It doesn’t surprise me that he was chosen for this program, but it’s incredible. It’s extremely exclusive.”

Banno’s goal through the experience is to improve all aspects of how he plays. While he feels he plays well, he said he understands he has weaknesses and hopes to better himself. At Vail, he will study under John Clayton, whose impressive résumé includes founding the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, serving as Artistic Director of Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic program at the Hollywood Bowl and conductor of the All-Alaska Jazz Band, amongst many others. In 2007, Clayton won a Grammy for Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die" with Queen Latifah.

Banno said that he was able to receive scholarship money to afford the trip, which is well over $1,000. He expects to stay with a host family during his visit. Through the experience, he hopes to find a bright future and career in music.

“The whole goal of mine is to get into Julliard,” said Banno.