Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Student musicians from throughout Aroostook County shone as brightly as their trumpets, trombones and saxophones Feb. 26 as they competed in the District Jazz Festival, sponsored by the Northern Maine Music Educators Association.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THE PRESQUE ISLE HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ BAND, under the direction of Dan Schneider, competed Feb. 26 at the District Jazz Festival in Presque Isle. The jazz band will now advance to the high school state jazz festival, which will be held March 13-14 at South Portland High School. Shown rehearsing prior to their District Jazz Festival performance are, front row, from left: Michael McPherson, Jaclyn Gilbert, Matt Flora and Sam Corey, all on saxophones; second row, on trombones: Lucas Cyr, Stephen Goulet, Jacob Buob and Laurel Curtis. Back row: Nathan Hackworth (guitar), Josh Jones (trumpet), Adam Scott (trumpet) and Aidan Sawyer (trumpet).
Jazz bands participating in the festival, which was held at Presque Isle Middle School, included Fort Kent Elementary School Jazz Band, Caribou High School Jazz Band, Presque Isle Middle School Jazz Band, Presque Isle High School Combo, Presque Isle High School Jazz Band, Houlton Junior High Jazz Band, and Houlton High School Jazz Band.
Middle and high school jazz bands that received a 74 or higher advanced to the state competition.
“This year, every school that came for a score from the judges made it to states,” said Pat Bragdon, host director and band/vocal music instructor at PIMS.
The first group began performing at 5:30 p.m., while the last jazz band took the stage at 8:15 p.m. Each group had 25 minutes to get on stage, perform, and exit the stage.
“Some bands in the past have performed one long, 15-minute song,” said Bragdon, “but generally groups do three songs … something jazzy, a slow ballad, and some type of Latin tune.”
Bob King, a retired music teacher from Limestone, served as one of the judges along with Larry Jenkins.
“I look for a group that sounds well and can go down and compete,” said King. “We critique them on everything from pitch, intonation and preparedness.
“Each group has something they can work on,” he said, “but they all did a good job.”
King, who plays the trumpet in the University of Maine at Presque Isle band and Fredericton Orchestra, said it’s his love of music that brings him out to judge at local festivals.
“I’ve been playing for over 60 years; it’s part of my life,” he said. “It’s important to keep music going in the county.”
This was the first year that PIMS sixth-graders Rachel Hobbs and Angela Hallowell – who both play the trumpet – competed in the district festival.
“On a scale of one to 10, in terms of nervousness, I probably was a five,” said Hobbs. “I was a little bit nervous, but sometimes being nervous is a good thing. It helps you be confident, pay more attention to what you’re doing and make fewer mistakes.
“I tried my best to ignore everything that was going on around me,” she said. “For me, if there’s any little thing that’s happening, it’s harder for me to concentrate. I just pretended that I was playing for fun and that it wasn’t any big competition and didn’t get all nervous about it.”
Hallowell’s nerves were slightly more frazzled.
“When we first went on, I was probably a six or a seven,” she said, “but once you start playing, you get to have fun and the nerves just go away. I kind of blanked out, stared at my music and did my thing without really worrying about playing in front of judges.”
Both girls started playing the trumpet in fifth grade.
“I just really like the sound of it,” said Hallowell, “plus it looks pretty cool.”
“My brother, Caleb, plays the trumpet, but at first I wanted to play the clarinet, then the flute, and then the trombone. I didn’t really know,” Hobbs said. “I like the trumpet because I knew that I was going to be able to try out for the jazz band. I didn’t want to have an instrument that was giant. I wanted something small, and I thought the trumpet sounded nice.”
Bragdon said this year’s festival went very well.
“Things went great,” he said. “The students all sounded really good and everything ran smoothly.”
The high school state jazz festival will be held March 13-14 at South Portland High School, while the middle school competition will be held March 28 at Nokomis High School.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
MATT LABBE on drums and Nathan Hackworth on guitar, members of the Presque Isle High School Jazz Band, rehearse prior to their Feb. 26 performance at the District Jazz Festival, which was held at Presque Isle Middle School. The PIHS Jazz Band will now advance to the high school state jazz festival will be held March 13-14 at South Portland High School.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
CHRIS CARROLL, a member of the Presque Isle Middle School Jazz Band, takes part in a quick rehearsal prior to the Feb. 26 District Jazz Festival as Corey Belanger looks on. During their performance, the middle school jazz band performed “Swung Out to Dry,” “The Follow” and “Oye Como Va.”
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
KENT SMITH, a member of the Presque Isle High School Jazz Band, performed double duty as he played not only the clarinet but also the saxophone during the recent District Jazz Festival. Seven Aroostook County schools participated in the event.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
PAUL ELISH, a member of the Presque Isle High School Jazz Combo, warms up on his alto saxophone before heading on stage at the District Jazz Festival, which was held Feb. 26 at the Presque Isle Middle School.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
WARMING UP prior to their performance at the Feb. 26 District Jazz Festival, which was held at Presque Isle Middle School, were PIMS Jazz Band members, from left: Caleb Hobbs, Joel Tewksbury, Zach Dube and Bradley Shields.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THE DISTRICT JAZZ FESTIVAL was held at Presque Isle Middle School Feb. 26. Middle and high school jazz bands that received a score of 74 or higher advance to the state competition. Pictured warming up on the saxophone are, from left: Olivia Goulet, John Freeman, Brian Fournier and Blake Winslow, members of the PIMS Jazz Band, which will compete in the state jazz festival March 28 at Nokomis High School.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THE PRESQUE ISLE MIDDLE SCHOOL JAZZ BAND was one of seven bands participating in this year’s District Jazz Festival. Warming up in the band room were, front row, from left: Madeline Cannon, Rachel Scott and Austin Albert. Back row: Anna Cannon and Josh Gordon. The PIMS Jazz Band advances to the state middle school competition, which will be held March 28 at Nokomis High School.
