aye.creator
Music has always been more than a passion for David Lown—it’s been a calling, a career and a lifelong pursuit of excellence. Since joining Carroll ISD, Lown has built one of the most respected high school jazz programs in the nation. A GRAMMY nominee for Music Educator of the Year and Carroll ISD’s 2013 Teacher of the Year, he has already led the Carroll Jazz Orchestra to the finals of the Essentially Ellington competition an extraordinary six times.
This month, Lown returns to New York where he began his career, not as a performer, but as a mentor, leading his students for the seventh time as they represent Southlake Carroll at Essentially Ellington. As they take the stage alongside the nation’s top 30 high school jazz bands, Lown continues to shape not just great musicians, but lasting legacies.
MY MAIN INSTRUMENT… is the tenor saxophone, which I have been playing since the fifth grade. I also play all of the saxophones, flutes and clarinets.
I HAD A GROWING SENSE… that teaching may be my calling. [When in college,] I had the opportunity to direct the University of North Texas 4 O’Clock Lab Band [one of nine world-famous jazz bands at UNT], and it was really fulfilling. I lived in New York City for a while with my wife, and while I loved living there, I started to feel that I should be teaching. We soon moved back to Texas.
AS THE CARROLL JAZZ DIRECTOR… I am very blessed to be able to fully focus on jazz and Advanced Placement Music Theory. I do get to work with the marching band, and I love getting to be part of it. This is especially true now that I’m also a Dragon Band dad.
FOR ME, MUSIC EDUCATION… is about helping students find their voice while holding them to a high musical standard. Music education matters to millions of kids.
TO QUALIFY FOR THE ‘ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON’ FINALS… takes a huge amount of forethought, planning and hard work. Although we have had more success than most schools around the country, we have also had many years of disappointment.
FOR THIS YEAR’S BAND… the majority of them have experienced not hearing their names called as finalists [for the Essentially Ellington competition] for the past two years. I could certainly tell this year that the band had an especially tight focus on getting [invited]. Because it has been so hard-earned they all appreciate every little perk and all the moments that are coming along with this achievement.
I WANT MY STUDENTS TO… understand the fundamentals of musicianship at a deep level, but more than that, I want them to be fearless, to listen carefully and to take creative risks. We bring in many guest artists, we study the greats, and we prepare for big moments – but at the end of the day, it’s about creating an environment where students are excited to show up, to work hard and to make music that feels personal and alive.
IT’S INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL… to be a part of the growing process during such a pivotal time in my students’ lives. I believe – deeply – that we need master teachers in classrooms now more than ever; people who are committed to building communities, shaping character and keeping the arts alive in schools.
I CONSIDER MYSELF… the richest person in Southlake – not because of anything material, but because I get to spend my days helping young people grow through music.
I BELIEVE JAZZ… offers this beautiful balance between structure and freedom. It teaches discipline, but it also celebrates individuality. I want students in the program to all find a love for this powerful music that is so central to our ideas of freedom and expression in this country. Jazz is uniquely able to unblock curiosity, humility and empathy in people, and the impact of this reaches far beyond music.