Jazz bands conclude the year with honors

Jazz bands from both Sisters High School and Sisters Middle School received first-place awards at the 25th annual Northwest Jazz Band Festival.

Students from the school jazz bands attended the festival competition on May 3, at Mt. Hood Community College.

The Sisters High School varsity jazz ensemble was awarded first place. This was the third time in four years that the band has received first place in their division at the event; and this year the group also received the highest score of the 78 groups participating in the festival.

Sisters Middle School also received a first-place finish in the middle school jazz combo division which hosts small groups of less than 10 members. The combo setting is a very challenging one for middle school students.

Only four of the 15 middle schools attending ventured to be involved in this division.

The high school jazz combo was ranked fifth of 17 groups in an open division for high school jazz combo representing all high schools, regardless of size, including magnet arts schools and performing arts academies.

While participating in the Northwest Jazz Festival, Sisters students were able to attend two performances which featured acclaimed jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, who has worked extensively with Wynton Marsallis, including holding the position of lead trombone player in the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

These performances marked the end of a very successful year for the Sisters jazz band program. The remainder of the year will be dedicated to audition and organization processes to establish next year's jazz bands.

Six outstanding high school seniors will graduate from the Sisters Jazz Band program: Tyson Edmunson; Jonny Hillis; Riley Gilmore; Derek Oldham; Seth Rodriguez; and Nick Anthony.