​Musician makes commitment to health

Shelley Koppel
Staff writer
Your Voice News & View
skoppel@YourVoiceWeekly.com

STUART – Jazz musician Randy Corinthian says that he didn’t find the saxophone, the saxophone found him. In middle school, the students had electives that lasted nine weeks. His first elective was band. “The first nine weeks was band and I never left,” he said. “From the moment I started, I said ‘That’s the one. I had never heard or seen (a saxophone) played. I got good at it relatively quickly and asked to be allowed to stay in the band.”

Corinthian continued his music studies in high school, where he was introduced to the history of music. “I really started to study my instrument,” he said. “The music director exposed me to the greats.”

Corinthian earned a scholarship to Florida A & M, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music education. He went on to get his master’s from Florida State in jazz studies and commercial music.

Today, Corinthian is CEO of the RC Music Group and an adjunct professor of music at Broward College. In 2012, he was named one of Legacy magazine’s 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow in south Florida. 

He brings his jazz stylings to the Lyric Theatre on Oct. 27 for a fundraiser for the nonprofit group, Who Got Game, an organization seeking to help young people make healthier lifestyle choices. It’s a subject close to his heart. “I recently had committed myself to a healthier lifestyle,” he said. “I lost 60 pounds. I was a chubby kid and I was chubby throughout my adult life.”

Through social media, Corinthian connected with Kraig Hardy of Who Got Game and he agreed to do a concert. The opening act will be the David Anderson Middle School Drumline. Healthy snacks will be provided by the East Stuart Youth Initiative Culinary Kids.Corinthian said that he has learned that planning is a big part of making healthy choices. “You need to take charge of what fuel you’re putting in your body,” he said. “We want to eat in the best restaurants and stay in the best hotel, but we’re not as picky about the foods we put in our body. We won’t be able to enjoy anything if we don’t have our health.”

The musician noted that sometimes people who know they should eat better can’t afford to feed their families the fruits and vegetables that are so beneficial. Often, people need to commit to changing their habits. “If we’re eating poorly from conception to adulthood, it takes willpower and education and support to follow through and make that change,” he said. “I definitely support the initiative.”

Corinthian will play traditional swing jazz, contemporary pieces and his own work. He recently released his debut album, “Bittersweet,” featuring many of his compositions. He is trying to introduce a new generation to jazz, which, ironically, is considered old and not cool by young people. “The music industry is feeding youth a lot of bad music,” he said. “Studying music has academic benefits. Some of the kids have never seen an instrument. They see jazz as old. The key is to
see jazz as cool and that it’s cool to be a musician.”

Randy Corinthian and the David Anderson Middle School Band Drumline present “A Sunday Afternoon of Jazz” at the Lyric Theatre, 59 S.W. Flagler Ave., Stuart, on Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. The program is a fundraiser for the nonprofit group, Who Got Game, an organization that helps raise awareness of the importance of healthy eating and exercise to combat obesity.

Tickets are $30. Call the box office at (772) 286-7827 or order online at www.lyrictheatre.com.