By Isabel von Mende ’20
Dean Reiter ’20 performs a trumpet solo with the Middle School Jazz Band. Credit: Casey Kim ’20/SPECTRUM
Brandon Liang ’20 performs a solo with his small band, the Middle School Blue Note Combo. Credit: Casey Kim ’20/SPECTRUM
Middle School Jazz Band musicians performed in the “Winter Big Band Jazz Concert” on Feb. 3 in the Saperstein Theatre. They played a setlist of nearly 20 pieces including James Van Heusen’s “Come Fly with Me” and Karl Suessdorf’s “Moonlight in Vermont.”
The band consists of wind instruments and a rhythm section. Students meet five times a cycle and are taught by performing arts teacher Starr Wayne.
“[My favorite part of the concert was] playing with the Jazz Explorers because you get to play whatever you want[…]My favorite song was ‘Fantasia.’ The Jazz Explorers played it, and it was my favorite because I got to play a drum solo in it,” drummer Andy Lee ’20 said.
Madrigals singer Alec Davila ’20 joined the ensemble to sing Charles Trenet’s “Beyond the Sea.”
“It was a really fun experience just being with all my friends and knowing how hard they worked. I loved the outcome of everything[…]So far this year, performing with Jazz Band has definitely been a highlight,” Davila said.
The students, faculty and families that came to the concert said that they really enjoyed it.
“I had a couple of really good friends in it. It sounded really fun, and I wanted to watch them to see what they were working towards because I know that my friends have been working really hard,” Jessica Gestetner ’20 said.
