High School Jazz Festival 2010 Winners

Fifty ensembles and 48 individual musicians win awards at Berklee's annual competition of high school jazz bands.
By
Jennifer DeCicco
March 22, 2010

A student bassist performs with the Crescent Super Band.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Crescent Super Band guest artist drummer Peter Erskine

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Bassist Abe Laboriel, a Berklee alumnus, is one of several guest artists playing with the Crescent Super Band.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Crescent Super Band guest artist and trumpeter Eric Miyashiro

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Caleb Chapman conducts the Crescent Super Band.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

A student bassist performs with the Crescent Super Band.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

More than 3,000 students and 200 big bands, combos, and vocal ensembles competed at last weekend's High School Jazz Festival for $175,000 in partial scholarships to Berklee's Five-Week Summer Performance Program.

Among the other highlights of the day were an electrifying performance by the award-winning Crescent Super Band, a Utah-based collective of young musicians, organized and directed by Caleb Chapman. Frequently hailed as one of the best high school–aged jazz bands in the world, the Crescent Super Band were joined by three special guests at the evening awards presentation: bassist Abe Laboriel, drummer Peter Erskine, and trumpeter Eric Miyashiro.

And teacher Bianca Sanchez—from Taylor Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia—won Take Note: The Berklee Award for Innovative Teaching.

All the school ensemble winners are listed below, including the four top finishers in each ensemble class—large ensembles (L1-L6), combos (S1-S4), and vocal jazz (V1-V2) and, below that, all of the 48 individual award winners.

Superior and Outstanding Musicianship Awards 2010

Class L1

First Place

  • Arlington High School
  • Arlington High School Jazz Machine
  • LaGrangeville, NY

Second Place

  • Lexington High School
  • Lexington High School Jazz Ensemble
  • Lexington, MA

Third Place

  • Boston Latin School
  • Boston Latin School Big Band
  • Boston, MA

Fourth Place

  • Southington High School
  • Southington High School Jazz Ensemble
  • Southington, CT

Class L2

First Place

  • Princeton High School
  • Princeton High School Studio Band
  • Princeton, NJ

Second Place

  • Conard High School
  • Concert Jazz Band
  • West Hartford, CT

Third Place

  • Shawnee High School
  • Shawnee Jazz Ensemble
  • Medford, NJ

Fourth Place

  • Wellesley High School
  • Wellesley High School Two O'Clock Jazz Band
  • Wellesley, MA

Class L3

First Place

  • Stoughton High School
  • Jazz Ensemble
  • Stoughton, MA

Second Place

  • Bacon Academy
  • Wednesday Night Jazz Band
  • Colchester, CT

Third Place

  • Barrington High School
  • Barrington High School Jazz Ensemble
  • Barrington, RI

Fourth Place

  • Woodstock Academy
  • Woodstock Academy Jazz Band
  • Woodstock, CT

Class L4

First Place

  • Wakefield High School
  • Wakefield High School Jazz Ensemble
  • Wakefield, MA

Second Place

  • Willingboro High School
  • Willingboro Jazz Ensemble
  • Willingboro, NJ

Third Place

  • Cony High School
  • Cony High School Jazz Ensemble
  • Augusta, ME

Fourth Place

  • South Portland High School
  • South Portland High School Jazz Ensemble
  • South Portland, ME
  • Stonington High School
  • Stonington High School Jazz Band
  • Pawcatuck, CT

Class L5

First Place

  • Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts
  • Academy Big Band
  • Hartford, CT

Second Place

  • Westbrook High School
  • Jazz Ensemble 1
  • Westbrook, ME

Third Place

  • Northwest Catholic High School
  • Thursday Night Jazz Band
  • West Hartford, CT

Fourth Place

  • Old Rochester Regional High School
  • Old Rochester Regional High School Jazz Band
  • Mattapoisett, MA

Class L6

First Place

  • Creative Arts High School
  • Creative Arts High School Jazz Band
  • Camden, NJ

Second Place

  • Canton High School
  • Canton High School Jazz Ensemble
  • Canton, CT

Third Place

  • Hampshire Regional High School
  • Hampshire Regional High School Jazz Band
  • Westhampton, MA

Fourth Place

  • Maine Central Institute
  • Enigma
  • Pittsfield, ME

Class S1

First Place

  • Conard High School
  • Concert Jazz Band Combo
  • West Hartford, CT

Second Place

  • Lexington High School
  • Lexington High School Jazz Combo
  • Lexington, MA

Third Place

  • Brookline High School
  • Small Ensemble
  • Brookline, MA

Fourth Place

  • Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
  • Lincoln-Sudbury Select Jazz Combo
  • Sudbury, MA
  • Princeton High School
  • Princeton High School Jazz Combo
  • Princeton, NJ

Class S2

First Place

  • Booker High School
  • Booker High School Jazz Combo
  • Sarasota, FL

Second Place

  • Seneca High School
  • Seneca High School Jazz Combo
  • Tabernacle, NJ

Third Place

  • Barrington High School
  • Barrington High School Jazz Combo
  • Barrington, RI

Fourth Place

  • South Portland High School
  • South Portland High School Combo
  • South Portland, ME

Class S3

First Place

  • L.A. County High School for the Arts
  • Combo G
  • Los Angeles, CA

Second Place

  • Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts
  • Jazz Ensemble 4
  • Hartford, CT

Third Place

  • Canton High School
  • Canton High School Jazz Combo
  • Canton, CT

Fourth Place

  • Fryeburg Academy
  • Birth of the Cool Combo
  • Fryeburg, ME

Class S4

First Place

  • Creative Arts High School
  • Creative Arts High School Jazz Combo
  • Camden, NJ

Second Place

  • Boston Art Academy
  • Charlie Brown Blues Band
  • Boston, MA

Third Place

  • Trinity School
  • Jazz Messengers
  • New York, NY

Fourth Place

  • George Stevens Academy
  • George Stevens Academy Jazz Combo
  • Blue Hill, ME

Class V1

First Place

  • Booker High School
  • Booker High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble
  • Sarasota, FL

Second Place

  • Pilgrim High School
  • Pilgrim High School Jazz Singers
  • Warwick, RI

Third Place

  • Barnstable High School
  • Barnstable High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble
  • Hyannis, MA

Fourth Place

  • Willingboro High School
  • Willingboro Jazz Choir
  • Willingboro, NJ

Class V2

First Place

  • Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School
  • 5-Alone
  • South Hadley, MA

Second Place

  • Fryeburg Academy
  • Vocal Jazz Ensemble
  • Fryeburg, ME

Third Place

  • Maine Central Institute
  • Caravan
  • Pittsfield, ME

Fourth Place

  • Griswold High School
  • Griswold High School Chamber Choir
  • Griswold, CT
Superior and Outstanding Musicianship Awards 2010

Class L1

Superior Musicianship

  • Nick Singer, trumpet, Lexington High School

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Christopher Welte, alto saxophone, Eastern Regional High School
  • Matthew Pitts, bass, Boston Latin School
  • Jake Abramson, baritone saxophone and clarinet, Newton South High School

Class L2

Superior Musicianship

  • Adam Ackerman, bass, Shawnee High School

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Talia Temporal, drums, Cranston High School
  • Patrick Gigvere, piano, Conard High School
  • Alex Anderson, drums, Princeton High School

Class L3

Superior Musicianship

  • Molly Sayles, drums, Bacon Academy

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Emma Sayles, trombone, Bacon Academy
  • Conner Buckley, trumpet, Oliver Ames High School
  • Bryan Le, alto saxophone, Barrington High School

Class L4

Superior Musicianship

  • Elizabeth Sullivan, bass, Wakefield High School

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Jaquam Devan, trumpet, Willingboro High School
  • Pete Lamalfa, piano, Xavier High School
  • Julia Daubney, trumpet, Woodland Regional High School

Class L5

Superior Musicianship

  • Brad Bahner, drums, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Jordan Greenberg, Bass, Northwest Catholic High School
  • Molly Ridley, piano, Westbrook High School
  • George Maher, trumpet, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts

Class L6

Superior Musicianship

  • Shabree Johnson, trumpet, Creative Arts High School

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Melanie Arias, voice, Maine Central Institute
  • Ryan Peterson, trombone, Mashpee High School
  • Tom Kelley, alto saxophone, Canton High School

Class S1

Superior Musicianship

  • David Fink, drums, Lexington High School

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Jeremy Bernstein, guitar, Lincoln-Sudbury High School
  • Alex Kemper, percussion, Conard High School
  • Nick Singer, trumpet, Lexington High School

Class S2

Superior Musicianship

  • Maureik Robison, drums, Booker High School

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Donnie DeFratiés, piano, Booker High School
  • Blake Hawley, guitar, Mt. Hope High School
  • Bryan Le, alto saxophone, Barrington High School

Class S3

Superior Musicianship

  • John Egizi, trombone, L.A. County High School for Arts

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Tom Kelly, alto saxophone, Canton High School
  • Ron Ho, tenor saxophone, Westbrook High School
  • Ethan Schneider, drums, Milton Academy

Class S4

Superior Musicianship

  • Nick Perez, piano, Boston Arts Academy

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Michah Johnson, drums, Creative Arts High School
  • Max Ridley, bass, Boston Arts Academy
  • Lawrence Galloway, trombone, Creative Arts High School

Class V1

Superior Musicianship

  • Donnie DeFratiés, voice, Booker High School

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Michael Ryder, voice, Warwick Veteran High School
  • Elexis Morton, voice, Willingboro High School
  • Colin Murphy, guitar, Plymouth High School

Class V2

Superior Musicianship

  • Arnold Pesnell, voice, Boston Arts Academy

Outstanding Musicianship

  • Imani Devi-Brown, voice, Pioneer Valley High School
  • Rose O'Connell-Marion, voice, Pioneer Valley High School
  • Brandon Keogan, voice and bass, Griswold High School