Laurie De Koch: Seattle Jazz Hero

Originally published in Earshot Jazz April 2016

Laurie de Koch became a Jazz Hero at the forefront of the fight against social inequities by following the musical path her son began in sixth grade. That's when bespectacled band director Robert Knatt had scanned the halls of Washington Middle School in Seattle, intent on filling seats in his ensemble, and settled on a nearby student, Willem de Koch.

"You!" he said. "Trombone!"

Scared but excited to be drafted by the demanding teacher, Willem scurried to the school library where Laurie, his mother, worked as a volunteer.

"Mr. Knatt... He wants me to play trombone."

"Trombone?" Laurie thought. "Isn't there a cooler instrument?"



But the benefits of music education from a rigorous teacher with high standards were clear -- among them, encouragement of hard work, creativity and self esteem. Laurie was grateful when Knatt drafted her younger son, Bergen, too. Her boys had joined the music program that fed Garfield High School's award-winning bands led by Clarence Acox (a JJA “A Team” honoree).

Unfortunately, even though the schools were located in the Seattle's Central District where the concentration of people of color remains high by Pacific Northwest standards, the music programs mostly served white male students. And inadequate Seattle public school funding reaching back to the 1970s made successful music education the exception rather than the standard. Only students living within enrollment boundaries of certain schools could access excellent teachers.  Laurie could not abide the disparity between the benefits of jazz ed being reaped by white boys compared to girls and people of color in minority neighborhoods.. What could she do about it? She created a organization called JazzED.

Building upon her Masters in Arts and Non-Profit Management degree from the University of Oregon, experience with operations for the Seattle Chamber Music Festival and fundraising for the Seattle Opera and Seattle Youth Symphony, Laurie got the organization up and running. Her passion, tenacity, and focus recruited Robert Knatt and Clarence Acox to run the education program. She graciously invited Earshot Jazz Executive Director John Gilbreath and several grateful parents to join the board. Their first-year enrollment goal for 2010 was 60 students. They added 20 more when composer Wayne Horvitz signed on to lead a New Works ensemble.

Six years later, JazzED serves 350 students a year. They have access to instruments, private lessons and ensembles. Half receive financial aid, many through scholarships. Forty percent are students of color. They have established a Girls Jazz Day and Girls Ellington Project. JazzED's steps towards institutionalizing racial equity while pursuit the twin goals of expanding access to music education and its excellence earned them the 2015 Mayor's Arts Award. Laurie is a catalyst for the community and her big smile warms the chill from any challenge

Laurie's son Willem is still playing trombone. He earned a degree from the Manhattan School of music and National Public Radio host Terry Gross broadcast Willem's trombone playing with his group, The Westerlies, on Fresh Air. Thanks to Laurie's contribution, more students will have the opportunity to follow his lead.