In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, the PMEA District 8 Jazz Festival was held this past weekend at Jersey Shore Area High School. Trojan musicians participated in this festival at the high school and middle school levels in both the jazz bands and jazz choirs. They were selected to this festival by audition and director recommendation and worked on their own to prepare the jazz repertoire for the festival.
Many stepped out of their comfort zones for this, learning new stylistic ideas, improvisation, and even auditioning for solos. Josh Zimmerman sang an improvisational scat solo on the concert!
Jackson Simpson was the auditioned accompanist for the Senior High Jazz Choir and the hired accompanist for the Junior High Jazz Choir.
Senior High Jazz Choir Participants
Paige C
Josh Zimmerman
Grace Andrews
Jackson Simpson *accompanist
Senior High Jazz Band Participants
Natalie Williams
Junior High Jazz Choir Participants
Bella Wood
Elizabeth Baxter
Lydia Ward
Junior High Jazz Band Participants
Hailey Cummings
Elijah Brown
Please congratulate them all on a job well done!
(some pictures included credited to PMEA D8 and Bob Barrett)
Mrs. Sydney MacDonald (7-12 Choral Music Teacher) & Ms. Brianna Erdmann (7-12 Director of Bands)