Local high-school bands score high marks at competitions

High school bands from Bellevue score high marks at competitions

May 21, 2009 3:22 pm
Members of the Newport High jazz band at Central Park in New York City during a break from the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival this month.
Members of the Newport High jazz band at Central Park in New York City during a break from the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival this month.

Bellevue’s high-school bands scored a host of accolades this year, continuing a tradition of pride among local teen musicians.

All concert and wind ensemble groups from the Bellevue School District earned superior or excellent ratings at the Eastshore Region Band Festival in March, while many other groups and individuals earned top-place finishes at regional and national competitions.

Bellevue

Bellevue High sent 85 band members to Anaheim, Calif. that same month to participate in the Disney Magic Music Days program, where they performed a 30 minute concert at Disneyland and recorded a soundtrack with Disney clinicians.

Also in March, the BHS jazz band took first place at the Jazz Northwest Festival and second place at the Auburn Riverside Jazz Festival.

Bellevue senior Benjamin Morgan, trumpet, and junior Adam Winstnley, bass clarinet, both landed spots with the Washington All-State Band. Junior Peter Graham, piano, and sophomore Max Bates, saxophone, were selected to perform with the Bellevue Jazz Festival’s Rising Stars Jazz Combos.

Interlake

The Interlake marching band earned first place finishes at the Issaquah Salmon Days Parade in October and at the Ballard Parade last weekend.

The school’s Jazz I band took first place at both the Newport Jazz Festival and at the Auburn Riverside Jazz Festival in March. It came in fourth at the Reno Jazz Festival in April and landed third at the Bellevue Jazz Festival on May 2.

Jazz II earned first at the Bellevue Jazz Festival and third at the Auburn Riverside Jazz Festival.

Newport

The Newport High jazz band traveled to New York City May 8-10 for the Essentially Ellington Festival, earning a spot as a finalist in the competition. Sophomore vocalist Ariel Pocock came home with the Ella Fitzgerald Outstanding Vocalist for a performance that included singing and piano playing.

The jazz band also won first place and the sweepstakes award at the Bellevue Jazz Festival, took fourth place at the Clark College Jazz Festival in January, and finished as runner up in the Bellevue Community College Jazz Festival in February.

The Newport Pride Marching band took first place for its division in the Victoria Day parade May 15 in Victoria, B.C.

In the WIAA State Solo and Ensemble Contest, junior Cornelia Sommer landed in third place for horn and freshman Nikolaus Van Rompaey was the first alternate for percussion ensemble.

Newport students selected for All-Northwest honors included junior Nick Eisenhauer, trumpet; Sommer, bassoon; and senior Jasmine Cho, flute.

Earning All-State honors were Junior Timothy Tam, flute; senior Ruofan Yu, horn; and Belinda Chen, flute.

Sammamish

The Sammamish jazz band, under the guidance of first-year instructor Mark Wilbert, took first place at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in February at the University of Idaho, and also landed the top spot in the combo division.

The school additionally earned a third-place finish at the Auburn Riverside Jazz Festival.

International School

The International School Jazz Band placed first in its division at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in February.

Middle School

Bellevue’s Tillicum Middle School advanced choir group earned a gold award at the Heritage Music Festival in Anaheim, while the girls chorus won a silver award at the competition, which included 36 schools from across the nation.