This program will take place at Cary Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA. 

This program is in partnership with and hosted by the Cary Lecture Series. Please visit carylectureseries.org for more information and to contact for any questions.

For decades, researchers have touted the benefits of studying music throughout a person’s lifespan to improve memory, executive function, language acquisition, and brain plasticity. But what about joy, passion, creativity, and connections to others? This session will showcase the fascinating stories and experiences of several alumni of the Lexington Public Schools. Whether music has become their vocation––or an important avocation––they will share how studying and performing music has deeply enriched and shaped their lives. We encourage middle and high school students and their parents to attend as they consider the next steps in their journeys.

From 1983 to 2017, Jeffrey Leonard served as director of the LHS bands, jazz program, and Performing Arts Coordinator. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music, Adjunct Professor at Boston University, and co-director of the Youth Jazz Orchestra at the New England Conservatory Preparatory Division.