© 2024 WLRN
MIAMI | SOUTH FLORIDA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Education

Film Focuses On Acclaimed South Florida High School Band

Mike Stocker

About 21 minutes into the documentary “Sweet Dillard,” the camera captures a moment of high drama in the band room of Fort Lauderdale’s Dillard High School. Christopher Dorsey, the school’s music teacher, checks his cell phone and says calmly, “We’ve been invited back to Ellington.”

A cheer goes up from the kids in the band. Because “Ellington” is the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition, an annual high school jazz festival and competition that takes place at New York City’s Lincoln Center.

“For the band to make it to the Ellington competition is just such high recognition for the students,” says Jim Virga, director of “Sweet Dillard,” which has its world premiere this weekend at the Miami International Film Festival.

The film follows the teenaged members of The Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble, considered one of the best high school jazz bands in the country, during the 2014 school year as they prepare for the high-stakes Ellington competition.

https://vimeo.com/127621140">Sweet Dillard Trailer from https://vimeo.com/user37945987">Jim Virga on Vimeo.

The documentary also offers a vivid profile of Dorsey, the band’s irrepressible leader, and the methods he uses to extract the coolest, smoothest sounds from the teens.

“You’ve gotta be more aggressive!” Dorsey tells the band at one point in the film. “Try to get in the upper register!”

To demonstrate, Dorsey breaks into some spirited scat-singing, complete with an ear-splitting ending note as he tries to simulate a blaring trumpet. 

Credit Mike Stocker
Christopher Dorsey, Dillard High School's irrepressible music teacher

Director Virga is also a professor of communications at the University of Miami. As an educator himself, he thoroughly approves of Dorsey’s way of interacting with his students.

“I just love how honest Mr. Dorsey is and how much he cares about the students,” says Virga. “He knows making it easy for them isn’t the best way. That challenging them is what’s going to get the most out of them. And you can see how much they appreciate it.”

Dorsey’s methods get results: Last year, the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble made its sixth consecutive appearance at Essentially Ellington. In the last six years, the band has won the competition twice.

IF YOU GO
“Sweet Dillard”
Sunday March 6th @ 1:00pm
O Cinema, Miami Beach
500 71st St, Miami Beach, FL 33141
Phone: (786) 207-1919

Christine DiMattei is WLRN's Morning Edition anchor and also reports on Arts & Culture.
More On This Topic