A Field Trip to The Alcove - Centre for the Performing Arts
As a year-end activity at Musica Academy, we decided to have a field trip to The Alcove! On June 19th, 2025, 19 students and parents got the chance to go to Alcove Centre for the Arts to freestyle and jam out with many other musicians.
As an administrator here at Musica Academy who loves music and creating various types of art, I’m here to tell you what I thought about the field trip and how this trip benefits our growing and learning young musicians.
Jamming Session - what is it?
Many lay people might think that freestyle jamming is just a time for musicians to goof off and play their instruments and sing whatever they would like. But, I want to say it is more than that, as these musicians need to not just play what they want, but LISTEN and find harmonies or melodies that will sync with the beat, all in the meantime, having fun along the way. Syncing everyone's knowledge of music and their improvisation skills to make songs that, while they can be silly in terms of lyrics, are still, in a way, ‘freeing’ from having to look at any scores or notes. While it may be natural for some people to play by ear, it is harder for some people than others, especially traditionally trained musicians, which jamming sessions can also help teach and improve in a fun, enjoyable way.
Participants' thoughts about the Experience:
Students from the field trip came out of this experience not just happy, but with a bit more knowledge about making music in an improvised, fun group setting. Take the Tisserand family, Michael’s Parents review: ”Our family had a 100% positive experience during that trip. It’s a great atmosphere, super welcoming and super inspiring. Not only did Michael get to be on stage and perform ( his favourite thing :-) He got to talk to guys in a “chill room” and those guys treated him as an equal musician. The vibe of this place is amazing and both me my husband and I very much enjoyed being there. I can see that this place is not for every kid - someone shy and quiet won’t like it. But in our case, with M living attention, adult conversations, etc- it totally hit the spot!! (Oh, and it was awesome to see you (Ms.Looi) playing trumpet !!!) Thanks for introducing us to this place. As far as I understand, my husband already promised Michael to take him there again ( without me :-) )
Or take Riyanika’s review: “The Alcove Centre of the Arts is a recreational art space that is open to everyone. It offers a welcoming atmosphere where anybody is able to express their creativity through various forms of art. This includes, painting, sketching, scrapbooking, crocheting, knitting and even making music using their wide variety of instruments. Based on my own experience, I was warmly welcomed by their kind staff and was given a quick tour of the place. My favourite part, aside from the exciting jamming session, was the arts and crafts area. They offer free art supplies and instruments for everyone to enjoy. Even if you don’t play an instrument, you are encouraged to give one a try or simply join in by shaking some maracas, playing the bongos, or just tapping along to the beat. Overall, the Alcove Centre of the Arts is a wonderful place for anyone and everyone to enjoy. Alcove truly creates a supportive and creative environment for all.”
Ending thoughts
As you can see, not only is the jamming session fun for everyone, but it is also a great way to learn how to play and improvise, making music together, and we at Musica Academy will be hosting our own Jamming Sessions this summer! We encourage free expression of music, whether you are formally trained or not. Just come and make music together! As this is exactly Musica’s philosophy- Musica Academy Connects All Through Making Music Together!
To view our YouTube video of the highlights of the trip, visit this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juGTpr7hBP4&ab_channel=MusicaAcademyYamahaCalgary
And to see how it is for Musica Academy’s jamming session, check out this video!
Article by Chrystal Tang - Social media creator and Administrator @ MusicaAcademy.
