Wakefield High School — 2011 Class 4 Large Ensemble Champ

March 30th, 2011Blogs1 comment

Directed by Thomas Bankert

Q. What are your thoughts on participating in the Berklee High School Jazz Festival and how long have you been participating?

A. The Berklee High School Jazz Festival is a great way for students to receive quality judging and performing experience, but more important than that, it is the best opportunity for students to connect with students from other schools and hear some of the best high school jazz bands in the country. As jazz educators, we always talk to our students about listening, and the Berklee High School Jazz Festival puts 200 bands, combos and vocal groups in the palm of their hands for the day. My students always come away with new ideas for charts and composers to go home and listen to. This year was the 21st year the Wakefield High School Jazz Ensemble has competed at Berklee.

Q. What tunes did you perform during the competition and at the showcase?

A. For the competition we performed Oclupaca- Duke Ellington; Whodunnit?- Gordon Goodwin; Everyday (I have the Blues) a vocal tune by the Count Basie Band, composed by Memphis Slim. At the showcase we performed Whodunnit?.

Q. What was the feeling when you were announced as the winner in your Class?

A. I was very excited. I immediately received text messages from my chaperones who were the students in the back of the hall. I knew the kids played great during the day, but when you are competing against 15 other bands from 6 states with fabulous jazz programs and directors, you never know how the judging is going to turn out.

Q. How did it feel to perform at the Showcase as the best among your peer-ensembles?

A. Another great opportunity for my kids to hear the best of the best from the day. As a high school jazz ensemble, it’s not often you get to play on such a big stage with all the microphones and the big screen behind the band. When we played the showcase last year, the band was really nervous and it showed during the performance. This year, they knew what to expect and played with the intensity and swing they played with during the day. I can’t wait for the DVD!!

Q. What can you tell us about your ensemble, your school, and your band members, or the jazz/band program at your school?

A. Jazz Ensemble at Wakefield High School is completely extra-curricular. There are no jazz combos, improvisation or ensemble classes during the school days. We start jazz ensemble In November after the marching band season, and meet two days a week until May. The students in the ensemble spend a lot of their own time rehearsing in sectionals and making sure they are prepared with their individual and section parts.

Q. What’s something that we don’t know about your ensemble that you’d like to share with us?

A. We have a wide range of musical and extra curricular backgrounds in the ensemble. We have seven varsity athletes in the band, and three students that play their secondary, not primary instruments. They’re also addicted to the tune “Sell Out” by Reel Big Fish. It is their default jam song before or after rehearsal. I wish I could get them to like more early 90′s music!!