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Instrumental Music Director
Bucknell University, B.A..
University of Massachusetts, M.M.
If you listen very carefully, you can hear New
Orleans. No where else in our country can a genre
of music be directly associated with a geographic
region. Listen carefully; hear the raw, raspy
sounds of New Orleans street music, the guitar rifts
of BB King, the sultry voice of Billie Holiday, the
bluesy trumpet wails of
Louis Armstrong, the songs of Harry Connick
Jr., and the hot jazz piano, trumpet, and saxophone
of Ellis, Wynton, and Branford Marsalis . For
generations, New Orleans has stood as the epicenter
for Jazz and Blues. In the wake of Hurricane
Katrina, what will become of the music of New
Orleans?
More than a year after Hurricane Katrina wreaked its
havoc, many of us not directly affected by the
devastation carry
on. The powerful images that bombarded us during
the days, weeks, and months after the disaster, fade
in our memory as we necessarily immerse ourselves in
our own joys and challenges of life. We forget that
our sisters and brothers down south remain without
homes, neighborhoods, or livelihoods.
Bement’s own band director and triple woodwind
player, Jim Snedeker, didn’t forget. Last summer
(2006) he spent a week with Habitat for Humanity,
building homes and a neighborhood. Jim shared his
amazing experience with the entire school in
October. In a way that was accessible to all
students and faculty, he presented a short film and
slide show which brought back to Bement current
images of old disaster and new hope.
By coincidence, Jim was assigned to build homes in
the upper ninth ward of St. Bernard Parish, in an
area named “Musicians Village.” Concerned about
preserving the unique musical heritage of New
Orleans, Harry Connick Jr., along with Ellis and
Brandford Marsalis, have partnered with Habitat for
Humanity and act as honorary chairs for this
project. It is hoped that by providing homes and a
center for music, musicians will return and continue
evolving the long standing tradition of music that
is New Orleans. It is fitting that a musician from
Massachusetts should help musicians in St. Bernard
Parish rebuild and re-voice.
 The
students were fully engaged in seeing the signs of
hope that Jim brought back. Images of homes
collapsed upon cars, neighborhoods empty, and entire
strip malls abandoned, were followed by pictures of
Jim and many other volunteer co-builders in front of
rows of colorful new homes. Everyone was active and
working hard to bring Musicians Village to life.
Although some of the images brought on our own
floods of compassionate tears, in the end we were
left with a strong sense of hope. The final image
was that of Jim with Windell and Allessandra Ricard,
whose home he helped build. All three smiles wide
and brilliant. The Ricards are not musicians; it is
not a requirement of living in Musicians Village.
In the spirit of musicianship, however, Windell
brought a bell to the dedication ceremony. Each
time the audience applauded, Windell struck his bell
saying it was the only musical instrument he knew
how to play.
 We
are thankful to Jim for his willingness to do this
important work. As a community, we are also
thankful to him for allowing us to be a part of his
experience; and for re-opening our minds and hearts
to the continued struggle in New Orleans. His
efforts, and the efforts of others, bring us the
hope that the music of New Orleans will continue to
flourish. Listen very carefully, can you hear it?
For more information on Musicians Village
By Anne Vittoria |
