Festivals Contract on Google Docs

MISSION STATEMENT

The key objective of this project is to research and analyze the Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival (JazzFest) (its patterns, rituals, participant behavior, values, status hierarchy among individuals, gestures, body language, clothing, vernacular speech, etc.) using ethnographic and anthropological methods in order to understand the festival’s cultural and historical significance. I plan to conduct oral interviews and archival research, as well as document and analyze my experiences at the event from an ethnographic perspective. Along the way, I will build a WordPress website/blog to publicly exhibit my results.

TOOLS

        As of right now, my WordPress site uses a simple theme called “Lovecraft.” I only have a home page right now, but I plan to add a few more pages on the final project. Ideally, I would like my homepage to feature my mission statement and a very brief overview of the festival. I also plan to have a pages dedicated to the history of the festival (including a timeline), JazzFest 48, a photo gallery (including pictures of performances, tickets, posters, etc.), and videos and audio recordings from previous festivals. I have not decided if it would be best to have a single page where I publish my overall analysis of the festival or if I should do this in each individual page, but I am leaning toward the latter.

        In addition to WordPress, I intend to use YouTube (for videos of performances), Timeline JS3 to document the history of JazzFest (e.g. performance dates, quick info on guest performers, etc.), and (possibly) Google Maps mainly to show Kirksville in relation to some of the visiting high schools and middle schools from around the Midwest region.

DEADLINES

Since JazzFest 48 will took place in the middle of the semester, I was fortunate to be able to attend both public concerts (the “Judge’s Jam” at the Dukum Inn on February 26 and the main performance on campus the following night). In addition, I had permission to sit in on the somewhat exclusive rehearsals, clinics, and competitions that are offered to the music students on campus (especially those in jazz combos and big bands) and the visiting high school and middle school groups from around the Midwest. Thus, I have already completed some significant goals:

Feb. 20: First interviews with Zach Green (JazzFest Officer)

Feb. 22: First interviews with Prof. Tim AuBuchon (“Mr. A”) (PMA Faculty Advisor and Jazz Band Director)

Feb. 24: First interviews with Ryan Staines (PMA President)

Feb. 26: Attend JazzFest Day 1
                  Rehearsals 1:30-4:30
                  Clinic 5:00-6:00
                  Judge’s Jam 9:00-midnight

Feb. 27: Attend JazzFest Day 2
                 Rehearsals, Judged Performances, Clinics 8:00a.-6:00p.
                 Featured Concert 8:00

From here, my tentative plan is to complete the following no later than the indicated dates:

March 11: Clean up ethnographic notes/observations
                     Begin analysis

March 19: Meet with Aaron Speight (Truman Digital Collections Librarian) about audio/video recordings from JazzFest and archived newspaper/magazine articles.

Meet with Amanda Lanangendoerfer (Special Collections and Archives Librarian) about other archival records/documents (e.g., programs, posters, etc.).

March 25: Interview Adam Boyles (Current PMA Historian) and to see programs, tickets, t-shirts, etc.

Conduct follow-up interviews with Zach Green, Mr. AuBuchon, and Ryan Staines, reflections on JazzFest 48.

April 2: Review archived Echo books (Truman State University’s ‘year book’) for pieces on JazzFest over the years.

April 6: Rough draft of project

April 21: Polished, edited project

May 5: Final Project

May 10: Reflection Blog/Paper

May 12: Public Presentation and Peer review