Promising musicians learn from Chris Botti

PHILADELPHIA - July 18, 2012 (WPVI) -- Some of the Delaware Valley's most promising young jazz musicians got an opportunity Wednesday to play with world-renowned trumpeter, Chris Botti in Philadelphia.

Tomorrow night, Botti will play with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

This morning, he jammed with young musicians from the Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy in Camden, the Universal Institute Charter School, and the Philadelphia Clef Club's summer camp program.

Arnetta Johnson will be a performance major at Berkeley in the fall.

There was a lot to be learned from such a high profile artis.

"I learned that I got to play my music with more feeling, not just play regular, with more feeling and compassion," Jiquwil Wilks of the Universal Institute Charter School said.

Some students found it all a little intimidating.

"I'm not used to all of it, not used to having a good player being in front of me," Kameron Mayfield of the Philadelphia Clef Club said.

Today's "Meet the Artist Session" is part of the Educational and Community Engagement program at the Mann, under Rhoda Blount.

"They determine their life's output at an early age by how disciplined they are and how much they want to play these ancient instruments," Botti said.

Chris Botti will be at the Mann tomorrow night July 19th at 8:00 p.m.

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philadelphia, local/state, lisa thomas-laury

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