LEARN ABOUT HARRY & LAVON WEBB

The Harry and Lavon Webb Youth Enrichment and Arts Education Center houses our Music Lab, practice spaces, and other important educational facilities where students are able to take advantage of inspirational learning by professional instructors and state-of-the art technology. Our facility offers our students access to multitrack recording studios, practice rooms, performance opportunities and what is most unique is the proximity to world-class artists that perform on Shaftman Performance Hall stage as part of Jefferson Center’s incredible programming!

MUSIC LAB
PRIVATE LESSONS
SUMMER SESSIONS
MASTERCLASSES
FINANCIAL AID
RECORDING
Music Lab Logo

MUSIC LAB 2022 SPRING SEMESTER

We are now enrolling for our Spring Semester that begins January 10th, 2022! This semester we will be offering: Bars and Beats – a look at writing better lyrics and making better beats, The Business of Music, Songwriting, Production, and Basic Music Theory.

Please note: The Music Lab always follows the Roanoke City Public Schools calendar for holidays and closings. We also follow their decisions for closings due to inclement weather.
Their calendar can be found here: Roanoke City Public Schools Calendar.

Monday 5:00-6:00pm – Hip-Hop 101

Students will be immersed in the art of hip-hop and see how it has evolved into modern rap. They will learn the history of the art form, obtain technical skills to help them succeed in the studio and live environments, and interact with local and international artists. Students will learn skills as a lyricist and as a beatmaker. We will alternate our focus on lyrics and beats each week.

TUESDAY 5:00-6:00pm – Production and Songwriting

The focus of class will alternate each week between Production and Songwriting. This will be listed on the calendar.
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‍Production Students will learn about music technology for studio production (recording) as well as live audio (concert) applications.
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‍Songwriting Students will also explore the art form of songwriting. This includes the compositional (instrument) elements as well as lyrical elements of songwriting.
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No prior experience necessary.

WEDNESDAY 5:00-6:00pm – Rehearsal for Performance Bands

Students will have the opportunity to play music with their peers or be an individual singer-songwriter. This time will be set aside to use the facility for rehearsal.

THURSDAY 5:00-6:00pm – The Business of Music / Basic Music Theory

The focus of class will alternate each week between The Business of Music and Basic Music Theory. This will be listed on the calendar.
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‍The Business of Music will cover many different aspects including booking gigs, routing a tour, building an audience, copyrighting music, sync licensing, and a discussion of careers available in music.
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‍Basic Music Theory will provide a solid foundation for understanding music theory. This can also serve as a nice refresher for students and help us all communicate better.

No prior experience necessary.

TAKE A TOUR

For additional info, please contact:

Jordan Harman
jharman@jeffcenter.org
540.685.2309

ENROLL ONLINE NOWPAY MUSIC LAB TUITION

LESSONS AT
MUSIC LAB

Music Lab offers private instruction to any age on a variety of instruments. Private lessons through our Music Lab are a program of the Harry and Lavon Webb Youth Enrichment and Arts Education Center.
If you or your child are interested in setting up a lesson schedule at Music Lab with one of our instructors please email jharman@jeffcenter.org or call 540.685.2309.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS

photo of leah howard holding a violin

LEAH HOWARD – VIOLIN

Leah Howard has been fascinated with the violin ever since she picked it up for the first time when she was ten, and played Jingle Bells. A few months later, she performed the song solo for her elementary school, and joined her first youth orchestra. Leah started formal, private Suzuki training the following year, when she moved from Oregon to California, and continued to study violin in school and privately, throughout her high school years. Some of her early musical experience includes playing in her high school orchestra, professional strolling violinist, violinist in a professional youth quartet, and playing violin in a community philharmonic orchestra. Soon after moving to Roanoke in 2002, Leah joined the Valley Chamber Orchestra as a violinist, publicist and board member for two and a half years, while she pursued her degree in Commercial Design and the Arts, at Hollins University. Leah was very active in the Music Department at Hollins, where she studied music theory, Latin American Music, and Bach, as well as taking private voice and violin lessons. She is proud to have been awarded a surprise scholarship by the head of the Music Department. Using the Suzuki Method, which emphasizes listening to music, as well as technique and theory, Leah’s students can learn the fundamental foundational tools that will make it possible to play any kind of music they enjoy. Now a Hollins University Alumna and professional Violin Instructor, Performer and Graphic Designer, Leah enjoys sharing music, which she considers to be one of the most beautiful gifts in her life, with others.

photo of willis greenstreet playing a saxophone

WILLIS GREENSTREET – Saxophone, guitar, clarinet

Willis Greenstreet grew up playing all sorts of instruments at his fathers’ church in Roanoke, Virginia. At age eight, he began learning how to play the guitar. He studied with Cyrus Pace over the course of approximately two years. Willis played guitar with Judi Jackson, the French Jazz band Djangabond, and several other various bands over the years. Annually, he is contacted to play with the Cave Spring High School branch of the Jazz Café. He began playing saxophone when he was eleven years old (finishing his education under the under the guidance of Linda Pasquarell), played with his middle and high school bands, and has significant exposure in the Roanoke Valley. Willis works with bands such as The Color J, Hoppie Vaughan and the Ministers of Soul, and Runaway Jones, and with musicians such as Ben Trout, Jonathan Barker and Elmer Coles. When he began playing the saxophone, Willis also took up other woodwind instruments like the clarinet and the flute. He has performed in productions for Roanoke College, Ferrum College, and Attic Productions. Willis enjoys teaching guitar and woodwinds at the Jefferson Center.

GET STARTED

SIGN-UP FOR LESSONS (ONLINE)SIGN-UP FOR PRIVATE LESSONS (PDF)PAY FOR LESSONS

For additional info, please contact:

Jordan Harman
540.685.2309

EMAIL JORDAN

2022 SUMMER SESSIONS

Photo of students playing jazz on a stage with the text Jazz Institute, June 13-17

JAZZ INSTITUTE

FOR STUDENTS AGES 12-19
JUNE 13-17
9:00Am - 12:00pm
COST: $150
ENROLL ONLINE NOWPAYMENT

Jazz Institute at Jefferson Center is a weeklong comprehensive camp to teach students about America’s art form, jazz. Jazz Institute is affordably priced to ensure local teen musicians have every opportunity to attend.

The Jefferson Center Jazz Institute will:

  • Take place over 5 days during the summer each year
  • Provide opportunities for students to learn all aspects of playing jazz, especially improvisation. They will be learning from high profile, professional musicians.
  • Host classes, performances and lecture/demonstrations
  • Partner with local schools to implement a higher level of jazz education
  • Act as a catalyst to promote jazz as an art form to the students and therefore the greater public
Photo of Margaret Glaspy

SONGWRITING CAMP
WITH MARGARET GLASPY

FOR STUDENTS AGES 12-19
JUNE 15-17
COST: FREE
ENROLL ONLINE NOW

In addition to her performance in Fostek Hall, Margaret Glaspy will be working with 10 area students over 3 days in an intensive, hands-on program led by the highly acclaimed singer-songwriter. She will guide students through the basic principles of song structure, melody, and chords and an exploration of the songwriting process.

Photo of 808 Ray

BEAT CAMP
WITH 808-RAY

FOR STUDENTS AGES 12-19
JULY 11-15
COST: $20
ENROLL ONLINE NOWPAYMENT

Grammy-award winning producer, 808-Ray will give students behind-the-scenes access and information on how he makes his own beats and provide guidance for student projects. There will also be writing workshops, discussions of the business (such as copyright, sync-licensing, etc…), and opportunities for like-minded students to share their projects with each other. This camp will focus on providing a space for area students interested in hip-hop/rap to meet each other and collaborate.

Financial aid is available for any students that may require it.

ANY QUESTIONS?

please contact:

Jordan Harman
540.685.2309

EMAIL JORDAN

MASTERCLASSES

Masterclasses and Workshops are offered to our students prior to many of our performances. Previous year’s classes have included instruction from Branford Marsalis, Melissa Aldana, and Maceo Parker. This innovative program no doubt provides unforgettable experiences to our students. Those participating in arts education programs throughout our community such as public school band programs, The Roanoke Youth Symphony and The Roanoke Children’s Theatre are also invited to attend sessions each year.

Orchestrating Beats with 808-Ray

On July 5, 2021, Grammy award-winning producer 808-Ray (Rayshon Cobbs, Jr.) returned to his hometown of Roanoke, VA to work with local high school students for a week-long residency at the Music Lab at Jefferson Center.

READ MORE

Nate Smith Songwriters Project

In October of 2017, drummer and educator Nate Smith worked with students from our Music Lab during a multi-day residency. Smith, who also performed in our Jazz Club later that week, worked as producer, interacting closely with students on their original compositions, yielding three songs to be released in the summer of 2018.

READ MORE

Additional educational programs have included Sisters of the Circle and There’s a World of Song. For additional information on any of these or the above programs, please contact our Education & Outreach Coordinator, Jordan Harman via jharman@jeffcenter.org.

FINANCIAL AID

OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE

Part of our mission is to ensure The Music Lab is accessible to all students regardless of their financial situation. We have tried to set tuition at a rate that is affordable for many, but we understand everyone has a different situation.  For an annual membership fee of $300 or semester fee of $175, teens in grades 6-12 can attend the Music Lab at Jefferson Center’s Music Lab program to learn music production & recording, performance skills and music business. If this tuition is not affordable for you, please email jharman@jeffcenter.org and state what rate is possible for you.  Our priority is that students have access to the resources at Jefferson Center.

RECORDING AT THE
‍MUSIC LAB

The Music Lab at Jefferson Center serves the music community as one of the premiere state-of-the-art recording facilities in Southwest Virginia.  The studio boasts up to 26 simultaneous inputs, a vast collection of microphones and preamplifiers, four isolation rooms, a spacious live room, and years of experience in both recording and mixing.

EQUIPMENT LIST

MICROPHONES
Outboard Equipment/Preamps
CONTROL SURFACE
INSTRUMENTS

4     Shure SM57
2     Shure SM58
1     EV RE20
1     Shure SM7b
1     Sennheiser 441
3     Sennheiser 421
1     Audix D6
1     Shure Beta 52
1     Beyer M88
1    EV 635 A2     Audix SCX 25A (pair)
2     Neumann TLM103 (pair)    
2     Earthworks TC 25 (pair)
1     Earthworks SR25
1     Beyer M500 Cardioid Ribbon
2     Peluso R14 Ribbon (pair)
1     Peluso SR14 Stereo Ribbon
1     Yamaha Subkick
2     Cascade Fat Head II Ribbon
4     Neumann KM184 (2 pair)1    Bang and Olufsen Beomic 1000 Dynamic
1     Peluso 2247 Multi-Pattern Tube Condenser (Neumann U47 Clone)
1    Avantone CV-12 Multi-Pattern Tube Condenser (AKG C-12 Clone)
1    SE Electronics SE 5000 Cardioid Condenser (AKG C-12 Clone)

2 Channels   A Designs Pacifica
2 Channels   API 512c    
8 Channels   Focusrite Octopre (ADAT to system)
8 Channels   Mackie Onyx (ADAT to system)    
1 Channel     Presonus Eureka    
4 Channels   RME (onboard interface)
1 Channel     Universal Audio solo 610

2 Euphonix MC Mix
1 Euphonix MC ControlDigitalMac Pro 8 Core 3 GHz, 8 gigs RAM
Logic Studio 9
Many Plug-Ins including Antares Auto Tune EVO and iZotope Ozone 4
Hearback system with 6 hubs (independent headphone mixes for 6 players)

Nord Electro 2
Roland XP-30      
Taye Studio Maple Kit
Grestch Catalina Maple Kit
Bosphorus Master Series Cymbals
G&L SB-2 Bass
Bosphorus Gold Series Cymbals  
Taye Double Braced Drum Hardware
Peavey 412 4 Ohm Guitar Cabinet
Marimba
Yamaha Upright PianoGibson J-200
Fender Custom Shop Robert Cray Stratocaster        
Danelectro '56 Single Cutaway (reissue)
Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 22
Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Gibson Les Paul Studio w/ EMG active pickups
Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket    
Egnater Tweaker 15w Head
Peavey Ultra Tube 212 Combo
Wurlitzer Upright Piano

READY FOR THE
NEXT STEP?

DOWNLOAD RECORDING CONTRACT

For additional info, please contact:

Jordan Harman
jharman@jeffcenter.org
540.685.2309

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