Aliya Ibrahim was one of the student performers at the North Lake Jazz Festival. The event featured clinics, master classes and performances. She also had a chance to receive a rare one-on-one lesson with a visiting guest artist.

The guest artists at the festival generally works with groups through rehearsals, clinics, and master classes. Individual instruction is uncommon for the students. The hourlong session, provided at no cost, allowed the student to receive direct, personalized feedback.

She first consulted with guest artist Dennis Marks, who she described as a “bebop specialist,” prior to the lesson to identify areas of focus and then met with trombonist John Fedchock. For Ibrahim, the lesson centered on technique.

“He noticed I have a pretty stiff right arm and some issues with my staccato tonguing,” she said. “He really just met me where I was at. He didn’t just go over basic stuff. He really gave me personalized feedback.”

She described the festival as an amazing experience that gave her a lot of confidence.

“It was fun but also playing with somebody who is the same instrument as you but at a professional level, at a top level getting that experience playing alongside. Getting to hear them and getting feedback from them was one of the most valuable things I got from the Jazz Festival,” she said.