Fleetwood, Oley Valley, Governor Mifflin, Pottstown, Boyertown Junior High, Wilson West, and Spring-Ford middle school jazz bands won outstanding performance at the annual Kutztown School District Jazz Festival on March 18.
The four high school bands who also received outstanding on their performances were Conrad Weiser, Governor Mifflin, Reading, and Pocono Mountain.
Unlike a competition, this festival is a celebration of music and the students who create it. Each band will be evaluated by three adjudicators in various musical aspects and overall effect of their performance. Ratings of Superior, Outstanding, Excellent, and Good are given. The adjudicators will also be selecting Outstanding Soloists and Outstanding Section Awards.
Held at the Kutztown Area Middle School from 12:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Jazz Festival opened with a performance by the Kutztown Elementary Jazz Band while the Kutztown Middle School Jazz Band and High School Jazz Band finished the middle school and high school portions respectively. Kutztown Bands are adjudicated but are not announced nor can receive any awards since they are the hosts. Both the Kutztown MS and Kutztown HS Jazz Bands received Superior but this was not announced since they were the host.
Kelly Leiby and Katherine DeAngelo created a new banner design for this music festival.
Eleven Jazz Bands attended the 2017 Jazz Festival from amongst the area.
Middle School Section awards were presented. The Woodwind Award went to Fleetwood, Trumpet Award to Spring-Ford, Trombone to Boyertown, and Rhythm to Governor Mifflin.
Soloist Middle School awards were presented to Governor Mifflin student Cormack Costello on Bass; Boyertown students Nick Trowbridge on Guitar, Sam Eshlemen on Trumpet, and Benny Mash on Alto Saxophone; Fleetwood student Blake Biehl on Trumpet; Wilson student Anna Gatzler on Alto Saxophone; and Spring-Ford student AJ Ranaglia on Alto Saxophone.
High School Section awards for Woodwind went to Reading, Trumpet to Conrad Weiser, Trombone to Pocono Mountain and Rhythm to Governor Mifflin.
High School Soloist awards were presented to Reading students Hector Dominguez on Trumpet, Mike Smith on Bass and Jamilette Guevara-Morena on Trumpet; Governor Mifflin students Jared Gehman on Drums, Sydney Hill on Bari-Saxophone, Max Magrowski on Alto Saxophone, Michael Valent on Percussion, and Kaelin Walton on Bari-Saxophone; and Pocono Mountain students Oladipo George on Vibraphone and Hope DeJesus on Piano.
It was a great day full of terrific jazz music, great food, a raffle table full of many raffle prizes from various businesses and organizations around the Berks Area, and a candy gram table where many jazz instrumentalists left with a sugar high. All proceeds benefit KASMA, the Kutztown Area School Music Association and the Kutztown Area School District Jazz Band Program. Mark your calendars to attend next year’s jazz festival on Saturday, March 17, 2018.
