Mount Si musicians honored with Essentially Ellington awards
Published 3:42 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Jazz at Lincoln Center hosted the top 15 high school jazz bands in the nation, including the Mount Si High School Jazz Band I, for the 20th anniversary Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival over Mother’s Day weekend.
First place winner of the performance competition was American Music Program from Portland Ore. Second place went to Tucson Jazz Institute from Tucson, Ariz., and third place to Lexington High School from Lexington, Mass.
Mount Si Jazz Band Director Matt Wenman introduces the band at Lincoln Center. – Photo courtesy of Peter Henriksen
Participating bands were immersed in three days of mentoring, jam sessions, workshops, and anniversary celebratory events. The competition culminated in a May 9 concert of tunes made famous by Duke Ellington. The concert featured the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.
At the ceremony, Marsalis presented awards to each of the 15 finalist bands. Individual performances were also recognized. Among Mount Si’s honors were awards for:
• Outstanding Trumpet Section;
• Outstanding Piano – Conner Drake;
• Outstanding Drums – Will Crandell;
• Outstanding Alto Saxophone – Hayden Kajercline; and
• Honorable Mention Tenor Saxophone – Jacob Wachtendonk.
Mount Si High School’s Jazz Band I takes the stage at Lincoln Center May 9 in the 20th anniversary Essentially Ellington Festival. – Photo courtesy of Robyn Kolke
In the spirit of creativity and continuing the jazz legacy, Jazz at Lincoln Center also recognized the winner of the third annual Essentially Ellington Student Composition/Arranging Contest, Matt Wong of San Francisco Independence High School, San Francisco.
Bands participating in the 2015 festival included: Seattle-area schools Mount Si, Garfield High School and Roosevelt High School; Agoura High School, Agoura Hills, Calif.; American Music Program, Portland, Ore.; Wisconsin schools Beloit Memorial High School, Beloit, and Sun Prairie High School, Sun Prairie; Florida schools Community Arts Program, Coral Gables, Dillard Center for the Arts, Fort Lauderdale, and New World School of the Arts, Miami; Massachusetts schools Foxboro High School, Foxboro, and Lexington High School, Lexington; Lyons Township High School, LaGrange, Ill.; Newark Academy, Livingston, NJ; and Tucson Jazz Institute, Tucson, Ariz.
A small-group jam at Essentially Ellington consisted of Jack Clemens on trumpet, Jered Byford on trombone, Michelle John on trumpet. Also pictured are Nick Mardon on guitar, Jonathan Henriksen on bass, Jacob Wachtendonk on tenor sax, and Will Crandell on drums. – Photo courtesy of Peter Henriksen
