Jim Barbick has been working at Whitney Young for three years now. He’s been teaching all of the band classes including WY’s award-winning Wind Ensemble and Symphonic band. This is, however, Barbick’s first year teaching the AP Music Theory program. “I really enjoy the topic and teaching it to these awesome students. We’re off to a great start, and we’re moving quickly through the material so far. Basically the course helps students to recognize, understand and describe the materials and processes of music,” says the teacher. “He’s a really good teacher and he understands his students needs individually,” added Isaiah Estremera ‘17. At the previous school Barbick worked at, he tried to get the course approved so he could teach it, but things did not work out. Fortunately, this year, he was given the opportunity to teach Music Theory for the first time. “I’m happy that I finally have to opportunity to teach it at Whitney Young. The topics are things that I use everyday as a professional performing musician,” Barbick states.

    Mr. Barbick got his start in music as a performing musician. He got his start at around the age of six or seven playing the guitar. Eventually, he would take part in band and play saxophone. “I have had the good fortune of performing all over the country, and I continue to perform regularly around Chicago.” Barbick now performs in various places around the city, mainly downtown.

While also running the band program, Barbick runs the Jazz program here at W.Y. On September 2nd, the top jazz combo was invited to perform at the Chicago Jazz Fest for the second time. “This year the Jazz Sextet did a great job performing a 30 minute set for an enthusiastic audience. Two of our students were also honored by being invited to play the National Anthem as the main stage opened in Millennium Park each evening. I am extremely proud of our students’ achievements, and I had a great time listening to them and all of the groups at the fest,” Mr. Barbick adds.

    His band program has also received critical acclaim. Last year, the Wind Ensemble and the Chamber Orchestra received two gold ratings and performed in New York City. “We also went to hear the New York Philharmonic, saw The Marriage of Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera, saw the musical School of Rock on Broadway and went to hear world-class jazz at the Village Vanguard jazz club. We did some of the typical tourist-like stuff too, and the students enjoyed watching me beat them at bowling and teaching them how to dance,” Barbick states. “He’s really funny and a good teacher,” says Danielle Balcita ‘19. The band and orchestra programs plan these trips every two years. Next year, they will for sure plan a whole new trip. “Carnegie Hall will be hard to beat, but I’m sure we’ll come up with something exciting and memorable. This year we have been invited to present a concert at the Logan Center for the Arts in Hyde Park, and we plan to submit a recording to try to get invited to the prestigious Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival.”

    With the year coming off to a great start, Mr. Barbick will continue to teach his first Music Theory class, display each of his bands’ talent at the upcoming winter concert, and plan for his band fundraiser in February, Jazz on the Bridge. “This year I’m planning to attempt one of the more challenging works for band. You’ll have to come hear it to believe it though!” he adds on. He always has a whole new plan as each year passes by and it has brought some inspiration to his students’ eyes. Marco Gasca ‘17 states, “He’s a great teacher and an overall great person. He won’t hesitate when it comes to helping students.”