Music & Mentors!

Manchester Bidwell corporation’s suppor t ive atmosphere of ar t, l ight

and music empowers our students to become productive society members. we do this through a number of initiatives:

1815 Metropolitan street, pittsburgh, pa 15233412-323-4000 | www.manchesterbidwell.org

©2014 Manchester Bidwell corporation. MBc admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. eoe.✁

Bidwell training centerour accredited and state-licensed career training for adults in transition is focused on job placement.

Mcg Youth & artsour out-of-school-time courses — based in four art studios — are primarily for high-school-age students.

Mcg Jazzwe preserve, promote and present jazz music through live concerts, archival recordings and educational programming.

the national center for arts & technologYwe create similar educational environments across the united states!

$50 Enthusiast• Manchester Bidwell corporation decal• personalized thank-you letter from Bill

strickland, president/ceo • recognition in spring edition of A Better

Way Forward biannual newsletter

$100 apprEnticEAll items at the Enthusiast level plus…

• orchid notebook

$250 MEntorAll items at the Apprentice level plus…

• Mcg Jazz cd chosen from a collection of classic Mcg Jazz recordings

$500 MastErAll items at the Mentor level plus…

• framed photograph by a Mcg Youth & arts student

$1,000 patronAll items at the Master level plus…

• Phalaenopsis orchid from the drew Mathieson center

• private tour of MBc’s facilities with lunch prepared by Btc culinary students

for more information on supporting our mission of empowering educational environments, please call 412-323-4000 ext. 261.

thank Youfor Your support!

in 1988, paul thompson came to Manchester craftsmen’s guild (Mcg) Jazz to audition for

a student band. he had previously taken music classes, but it wasn’t until he was accepted into the Mcg Jazz student ensemble and mentored by jazz legend dr. nelson harrison that paul began to realize the broader life lessons he would learn through jazz.

upon graduation from pittsburgh creative and performing arts 6–12 (capa), paul enrolled in duquesne university’s Mary pappert school of Music, where his relationship with Mcg Jazz strengthened through a program that offered direct access to such jazz legends as Billy taylor, dave liebman and herbie Mann. “the door was always

open at Mcg Jazz, and i got to meet most of my heroes here,” paul recalls fondly, “Mcg Jazz brought an international perspective to pittsburgh’s doorstep through emphasizing diverse forms of jazz. this inspired me and made me want to see more of what the world had to offer.”

it wasn’t long before paul was on the music radar locally and nationally. at the age of 19, paul was recruited by legendary percussionist roger humphries to join his band. paul went on to tour with jazz greats Maynard ferguson and stanley turrentine. “Jazz is all about listening and trusting and learning to rely on yourself and your fellow musicians,” says paul, “when i was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004, i relied on the discipline and meditation i learned through music to help me manage my symptoms and continue living a full life.”

despite his busy tour schedule, paul gave back to the pittsburgh community by teaching in the Mcg Jazz student Jazz spectacular. while an adjunct teacher at capa, paul continues to perform and provide opportunities for his own students to interact and play with professional musicians just as he did at Mcg. Making the transformation from mentee to mentor has been very rewarding for paul. “there’s nothing like being in the music, except being able to share the power of music with future generations,” says paul.

✁

Mcg welcomed me at the age where i was taking it all in. they offered me the chance to learn from the best and it shaped my life.

— paul thompson

Your support today helps adults and youth secure a more stable future through education and training at Manchester Bidwell corporation.

14-AA

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Paul Thompson (left) playing with jazz legend Maynard Ferguson (center) in 1998 at MCG Jazz