Florida State University’s Opening Nights in Class program is working to introduce students in Leon County to professional artists through interactive performances and workshops held in local schools. The initiative is provided at no cost to participating schools or families.
“Opening Nights in Class provides us with a great opportunity to work with the amazing educators and administrators in Leon County Schools to bring outstanding artists to our community classrooms,” said Jordan Phillips, education and engagement manager for Opening Nights. “This semester’s artists demonstrated just how transformative arts experiences can be for students.”
Nearly 2,500 students participated this fall, engaging with performers such as Hubby Jenkins, New Jazz Underground, Okorie “OkCello” Johnson, and Bassel & The Supernaturals. These sessions included performances aligned with school curricula as well as workshops and master classes.
“Opening Nights in Class is one of the most meaningful parts of what we do,” said Kevin Maynard, executive director of Opening Nights. “When students learn directly from world-class artists, you can see their curiosity spark in real time. These experiences expand their sense of what’s possible, not just in the arts, but in themselves.”
In November, Okorie “OkCello” Johnson led a residency that involved cello performance combined with live-sound looping and storytelling across six schools: Chiles High School, Deerlake Middle School, Lincoln High School, Bond Elementary School, Springwood Elementary School and Astoria Park Elementary School. According to Scott Leaman, secondary music curriculum developer for Leon County Schools: “Having students see someone like OkCello perform for them is incredibly impactful, opening up the possibilities of what it means to be a musician. After that performance, we had students who started to ask about composition, music technology, performance and storytelling, all inspired by his incredible engagement with them.”
Hubby Jenkins visited Buck Lake Elementary School, Apalachee Elementary School, Griffin Middle School and Godby High School. His presentations explored American musical traditions through storytelling and musicianship.
New Jazz Underground gave a performance at Raa Middle School for performing arts magnet students. The trio blended jazz with elements from hip-hop and Afro-Latino genres.
Bassel & The Supernaturals closed out the semester by visiting four schools—Kate Sullivan Elementary School, Fairview Middle School, Hartsfield Elementary School and Gretchen Everhart School—using their performances to explore identity within contemporary music.
Gretchen Everhart School Principal Jane Floyd Bullen said: “The live music and interactions with the instruments and performers are so valuable for our students who wouldn’t have had this opportunity had it not been for the Opening Nights in Class program. The performers quickly realize how much our students enjoy their music and actively engage with them in a very meaningful way.”
The program reached 15 schools during the semester—including eight Title I schools—and plans are underway for five new artists to visit additional Leon County Schools next spring.
More information about Opening Nights in Class can be found at https://openingnights.fsu.edu/education/.
