Strong winds ushered in the sounds of jazz and dance as middle and high school musicians returned to Northeast Community College to compete for top honors at the institution’s 44th Annual Jazz Festival, held in the Cox Activities Center on the Norfolk campus.
“The excitement was palpable for the schools that participated in the festival, delighting audience members with their musical performances,” said Margaret Schultz, Northeast director of choral activities and festival director. “It is always a highlight to reconnect with directors and returning students as they make music together. Having students from across the Midwest here on campus was truly enjoyable. It’s amazing that this event has continued for so many years and brought so much to participants and listeners alike.”
The two-day event, sponsored by the Northeast Area Jazz Ensemble and the Northeast Music Department, featured 50 musical groups and more than 1,300 students and directors from Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. Competitions included jazz bands and show/jazz choirs across four levels. Trophies were awarded first through fourth place, along with solo and instrumental honors. In addition, tuition waiver scholarships were awarded to select senior participants.
Schultz said the Jazz Festival helps students grow as musicians while exposing them to performances from other schools. It also provides Northeast students with hands-on experience assisting with festival operations. She noted that the awards ceremonies are especially rewarding as the top four groups and outstanding soloists in each category are recognized.
“The hushed anticipation followed by cheers and applause for each group never gets old,” said Schultz. “The high-quality adjudication comments support growth for both students and directors. The festival ran smoothly thanks to the support of the Northeast Area Jazz Ensemble, the College, and the Northeast students who helped make it happen.”
Attendees expressed appreciation for the opportunity to hear young musicians perform, with some saying they could have stayed all day both days. One concertgoer shared that attending the festival had been on their bucket list and described the experience as wonderful.
Results from the Jazz Festival include:
Day One Trophy Placements:
Level IV
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Band: 1st Norfolk Jr. High #1 2nd Norfolk Jr. High #2 3rd Pender Public Jr. High 4th Dakota Valley, North Sioux City, SD Outstanding Soloist: Colby Dregalla, Trumpet, Pender Public Jr. High |
Show Choir: 1st Norfolk Junior High 2nd Norfolk Catholic Junior High 3rd Elkhorn Valley, Jr. High, Tilden Outstanding Soloist: Orlando Trice, Norfolk Jr. High |
Level III
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Band: 1st Stanton Community 2nd Hartington Newcastle 3rd Pender Public 4th Osmond Community Outstanding Soloist: Easton Dutcher, Guitar, Pender
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Jazz Choir: 1st Stanton Community 2nd Miller School District, Miller, SD 3rd Ponca Public 4th Bloomfield Community Outstanding Soloist: Delany Stark, Ponca Public |
Show Choir: 1st Norfolk Catholic 2nd Aquinas Catholic 3rd Bishop Neumann 4th Elkhorn Valley Outstanding Soloist: Easton Arens, Norfolk Catholic |
Day Two Trophy Placements
Level II
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Band 1st Pierce Public 2nd Aurora Public Schools 3rd Dakota Valley School District, North Sioux City 4th Lawton-Bronson, Lawton, IA Outstanding Soloist: Spencer Sindt, Trombone, Pierce |
Jazz Choir 1st York High School Outstanding Soloist: Daniel Burgess |
Show Choir: 1st Holdrege High School
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Level I
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Band 1st Lewis Central #1, Council Bluffs, IA 2nd Lewis Central #2, Council Bluffs, IA 3rd Millard South High School 4th Norfolk High # 1 Outstanding Soloist: Preston Cronk, Tenor Saxophone, Lewis Central #1 |
Jazz Choir 1st Thomas Jefferson, Council Bluffs, IA Outstanding Soloist: Lily Mitchell, Thomas Jefferson |
Show Choir 1st Norfolk Public High 2nd Thomas Jefferson, Council Bluffs, IA Outstanding Soloist: Lily Mitchell, Thomas Jefferson |
Northeast Jazz Festival Superior (I) Bands
Level IV: Norfolk Jr. High #1; Norfolk Jr. High #2
Level III: Pender Public; Hartington-Newcastle; Stanton Community; Osmond Community
Level II: Pierce Public, Pierce; Aurora High School, Aurora
Level I: Lewis Central #1 & #2, Council Bluffs, IA; Grand Island Public; Norfolk Public # 1; Millard South High School
Northeast Jazz Festival Superior (I) Show Choirs
Level IV: Norfolk Jr. High
Level III: Aquinas Catholic, David City; Bishop Neumann, Wahoo; Norfolk Catholic
Level II: Holdrege High School
Level I: Norfolk Pubic; Thomas Jefferson, Council Bluffs, IA
Northeast Jazz Festival Superior (I) Jazz Choirs
Level II: York High School
Level I: Thomas Jefferson, Council Bluffs, IA
Northeast Jazz Festival Excellent (II) Bands
Level IV: Pender Public Jr. High; Dakota Valley School District, North Sioux City
Level III: Ponca Public; Bloomfield Community; Norfolk Catholic; Cedar Catholic; Laurel Concord Coleridge; Centennial High, Utica; Randolph Public; Elkhorn Valley, Tilden; Cedar Catholic, Hartington
Level II: Holdrege High; Lawton-Bronson, Lawton, IA
Level I: Norfolk High #2; South Sioux City
Northeast Jazz Festival Excellent (II) Show Choirs
Level IV: Norfolk Catholic Jr. High; Elkhorn Valley Jr. High
Level III: Bloomfield Community; Elkhorn Valley, Tilden; Cedar Catholic, Hartington
Northeast Jazz Festival Excellent (II) Jazz Choirs
Level III: Miller High School, Miller, SD; Stanton Community School
Northeast Jazz Festival Good (III) Jazz Bands
Level III: Miller High School, Miller, SD
Northeast Jazz Festival Good (III) Jazz Choirs
Level III: Bloomfield Community; Ponca Public
Northeast Jazz Festival Good (III) Show Choirs
Level III: Laurel Concord Coleridge, Laurel
VOCAL SOLO AWARDS
Norfolk Jr. High—Orlando Trice
Norfolk Catholic High—Easton Arens
Bishop Neumann—Andrew Hiemstra, Julia Vrang
Aquinas Catholic, David City—Nathaniel Hain, Bella Fonternot
Bloomfield Community— Michael Dodge, Myranda Eckmann
Stanton Community—Maverick Hill
Norfolk Public High—David Protzman, Madison Allison
Thomas Jefferson, Council Bluffs, IA – Lily Mitchell
Ponca—Delany Stark
INSTRUMENTAL SOLO AWARDS
Dakota Valley School District Jr. High and Sr. High, North Sioux City, SD—Paige d’Auguste, Trumpet; Ashika Gupta, Piano; Owen Norby, Tenor Sax
Norfolk Jr. High and Sr. High School—Charity Hoffman, Tenor Saxophone; Karina Carriker, Bari Saxophone; Amy Solario, Trombone; Noah Asbury, Trombone
Hartington-Newcastle—Trynity Zach, trumpet
Ponca Public—Clara Rushing, Trumpet
Pender Public—Easton Dutcher, Guitar; Mylo Cumming, Alto Saxophone; Colby Dregalla Trumpet
Aurora High School—Zachary Peters, Trumpet; Shawn Morris, Tenor Saxophone
Grand Island Public School-Jack Parker, Trombone; Jonny Matul, Tenor Saxophone
Millard South High School—Braelyn Bouton, Trombone
Laurel Concord Coleridge—Mara Drappers, Tenor Saxophone
Stanton—Aaxel Spence, Trumpet; Ben Wittgow, Piano
Pierce—Mya Johnson, Flute; Spencer Sindt, Trombone
Lewis Central, Council Bluffs, IA—Preston Cronk, Tenor Saxophone
For More Information: margaret@northeast.edu
