Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.” – James Baldwin
Who We Are
Our Mission
Jazz Education
The Wilmington Youth Jazz Band is a non-profit organization whose mission is to expose, educate, and culturally enrich students through learning jazz & music in an effort to maintain and expand jazz throughout our communities. This effort reaches youth from economically and culturally diverse backgrounds.
Our vision
The vision of WYJB is to bring together an economically and socially diverse group of students from across the community – regardless of experience – for jazz instruction and performance. Thus, preserving Jazz music through education and cultural enrichment in the community.
Who we are
Our History
The Wilmington Youth Jazz band was founded in 2004 by Fostina Dixon-Kilgoe with the support of a grant from the Berklee College of Music, our organization strives to expose, educate, and culturally enrich students through learning jazz music; and to help maintain the future and longevity of jazz, the only true American art form.
Our organization provides opportunities for young people of all diversities ethically, financially, and educationally. As a non-profit organization, we maintain our financial responsibilities through fundraising projects and in-kind supporters. The WYJB enhances the latent talents of young participants and provides them with a greater understanding of jazz music. We also offer a window of hope for many young people who would not otherwise be able to afford professional musical instruction.
Our Team
Board of Directors
Marika Kennedy
President
Lara Vercher
Music Director
Kayla White
Vice President
Board Member
Brian Coady
Get to Know Our Music Director
Lara Vercher
Ms. Vercher is a musician and educator currently working as a band director within the Red Clay Consolidated School District. She has over 15 years of teaching experience and has taught in Spain (Valencia and Catalunya areas), Delaware and in refugee camps in the West Bank (Palestine).
She holds two Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Music Performance by University of Valencia and Castello Conservatory, and two Master’s Degrees in Child Behavior Therapy and Music Performance and Research by International University of Valencia. She was the Teacher of the Year in 2020 at her school and was nominated for the Educator Grammy Award.
As a professional clarinet player she has performed with the Royal Concertgebouw Orkest of Amsterdam, Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, Ljubljana International Orchestra, European Union Youth Wind Orchestra, the former The World Orchestra (current Adda Symphony), Center City Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and others. Currently she is working on creative music projects, performs regularly at several venues in DE and PA and was recently invited as a clinician at Delaware State University to teach about creative music and improvisation.
Ms. Vercher has a special gift for bringing out the inner musician in every child. She is creative in using hands-on methods to teach the fundamentals of music and improvisation to her students and is a passionate advocate for seeking experiences with established artists, including bringing grammy-nominated artists to her students.