NORFOLK, Neb. – Song, sequins and jazz filled the air as middle and high school student musicians returned to Northeast Community College to compete for top honors at the institution’s 41st Annual Jazz Festival in the Cox Activities Center on the Northeast campus in Norfolk.
“The festival is always a bright spot in the year and the excitement was palatable while students were making music,” said Margaret Schultz, Northeast choral director and festival director. “It was delightful to have students from across the Midwest here on campus for the festival.”
The two-day event, sponsored by the Northeast Music Department, drew 66 musical groups featuring 1,492 students plus directors from Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. The competition hosted jazz bands and show/jazz choirs for schools in four levels. Fifty trophies were presented over the two days for first, second, third, and fourth place and solo and instrumental awards. In addition, nine tuition waiver scholarships were awarded to high school senior student participants.
Schultz said the Jazz Festival helps students develop as musicians and shows them what other schools are doing. She said the most rewarding part is the award ceremonies as recognition is given to the top four groups and an outstanding soloist in each category.
“The hushed anticipation and then the cheers and applause for each group announced never gets old,” Schultz said. “The quality adjudication comments provide musicianship growth to both students and directors. All in all, the festival ran very smoothly due to the support of Northeast Area Jazz Ensemble, the College and the Northeast students who help work the festival. Those in attendance expressed their enjoyment and joy to be listening to these young musicians.”
Results from the Jazz Festival include:
DAY 1 TROPHY PLACEMENTS
LEVEL IV – Jazz Band
1st – Norfolk Jr. High School #1, Norfolk.
2nd – Norfolk Jr. High School #2, Norfolk.
3rd – Dakota Valley High School, North Sioux City, So. Dak.
4th – Pender Public Schools, Pender.
Outstanding Soloist: Garret Hanson - Alto Sax, Dakota Valley High School, North Sioux City, So. Dak.
Level IV – Show Choir
1st – Grand Island Central Catholic High School, Grand Island.
2nd – Norfolk Jr. High School, Norfolk.
3rd – Barr Middle School, Grand Island.
4th – Norfolk Catholic Jr. High School, Norfolk.
Outstanding Soloist: Molly Kenna, Grand Island Central Catholic High School, Grand Island.
Level III – Jazz Band
1st – Pender Public Schools, Pender.
2nd – Centennial Public Schools, Utica.
3rd – Ponca Public Schools, Ponca.
4th – Miller High School, Miller, So. Dak.
Outstanding Soloist: Tresha Koch - Flugelhorn, Stanton Community Schools, Stanton.
Level III – Show Choir
1st – Bishop Neumann Catholic High School, Wahoo.
2nd – Ord High School, Ord.
3rd – Norfolk Catholic High School, Norfolk.
4th – Aquinas Catholic High School, David City.
Outstanding Soloist: Julia Ingwerson, Bishop Neumann Catholic High School, Wahoo.
Level III – Vocal Jazz
1st – Brownell-Talbot, Omaha.
2nd – Stanton Community Schools, Stanton.
3rd – Bloomfield Community Schools, Bloomfield.
4th – Miller High School, Miller, So. Dak.
Outstanding Soloist: AJ Puskar, Brownell-Talbot, Omaha.
DAY 2 TROPHY PLACEMENTS
Level II – Jazz Band
1st – Pierce High School, Pierce.
2nd – Blair High School, Blair.
3rd – Aurora High School, Aurora.
4th – Dakota Valley High School, North Sioux City, So. Dak.
Outstanding Soloist: Travis Emory - Piano, Pierce High School, Pierce.
Level II – Show Choir
1st – Minden High School, Minden.
2nd – Boyden-Hull High School, Hull, Iowa.
Outstanding Soloist: Keilani Maae, Boyden-Hull High School, Hull, Iowa.
Level II – Vocal Jazz
1st – York High School #1, York.
2nd – York High School #2, York.
3rd – Lawton-Bronson High School, Lawton, Iowa.
Outstanding Soloist: Caden Riebesell, Lawton-Bronson High School, Lawton, Iowa.
Level I – Jazz Band
1st – Mitchell High School #1, Mitchell, So. Dak.
2nd – Yankton High School, Yankton, So. Dak.
3rd – Norfolk High School #1, Norfolk.
4th – Mitchell High School #2, Mitchell, So. Dak.
Outstanding Soloist: Drex Martinele -Trombone, Mitchell High School #1, Mitchell, So. Dak.
Level I – Vocal Jazz
1st – Columbus High School, Columbus.
2nd – Thomas Jefferson High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Outstanding Soloist: Bryan Alvarado, Columbus High School, Columbus.
Level I – Show Choir
1st – Norfolk High School, Norfolk.
2nd – Bellevue West High School, Bellevue.
3rd – Thomas Jefferson High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
4th – Abraham Lincoln High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Outstanding Soloist: Tyler Kalinowski, Bellevue West High School, Bellevue.
SUPERIOR - SHOW CHOIR RATINGS
Level IV
Barr Middle School, Grand Island.
Elkhorn Valley Jr. High School, Tilden.
Grand Island Central Catholic High School, Grand Island.
Norfolk Catholic Jr. High School, Norfolk.
Norfolk Jr. High School, Norfolk.
Level III
Aquinas Catholic Schools, David City.
Bishop Neumann High School, Wahoo.
Cedar Catholic High School, Hartington.
Centennial Public Schools, Utica.
Laurel Concord Coleridge High School, Laurel.
Norfolk Catholic High, Norfolk.
Ord High School, Ord.
Level II
Boyden-Hull High School, Hull, Iowa.
Minden High School, Minden.
Level I
Bellevue West High School, Bellevue.
Norfolk High School, Norfolk.
Thomas Jefferson High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
SUPERIOR - JAZZ CHOIR RATINGS
Level III
Bloomfield Community School, Bloomfield.
Brownell-Talbot, Omaha.
Miller High School, Miller, So. Dak.
Stanton Community Schools, Stanton.
Level II
Lawton-Bronson High School, Lawton, Iowa.
York High School #1, York.
York High School #2, York.
Level I
Columbus High School, Columbus.
Thomas Jefferson High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
SUPERIOR - JAZZ BAND RATINGS
Level IV
Norfolk Jr. High School #2, Norfolk.
Norfolk Jr. High School # 1, Norfolk.
York Jr. High School, York.
Level III
Pender Public Schools, Pender.
Ponca Public Schools, Ponca.
Stanton Community Schools, Stanton.
Aurora High School, Aurora.
Blair High School, Blair.
Dakota Valley High School, North Sioux City, So. Dak.
Pierce High School, Pierce.
Level I
Mitchell High School #2, Mitchell, So. Dak.
Mitchell High School #1, Mitchell, So. Dak.
Norfolk High School #1, Norfolk.
Yankton High School, Yankton, So. Dak.
EXCELLENT - SHOW CHOIR RATINGS
Level III
Bloomfield Community School, Bloomfield.
Elkhorn Valley High School, Tilden.
Level I
Abraham Lincoln High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
EXCELLENT - JAZZ CHOIR RATINGS
Level III
Jones County School, Murdo, So. Dak.
Ponca Public Schools, Ponca.
EXCELLENT - JAZZ BAND RATINGS
Level IV
Pender Public School, Pender.
Dakota Valley High School, North Sioux City, So. Dak.
Level III
Bloomfield Community School, Bloomfield.
Cedar Catholic High School, Hartington.
Centennial Public School, Utica.
Creighton Community Schools, Creighton.
Hartington-Newcastle, Hartington.
Miller High School, Miller, So. Dak.
Wilber-Clatonia High School, Wilber.
Level II
Nebraska City High School, Nebraska City.
York High School, York.
Level I
Fremont High #1, Fremont.
Norfolk High School #2, Norfolk.
GOOD - SHOW CHOIR RATINGS
Level I
Omaha Bryan Senior High, Omaha.
GOOD - SHOW CHOIR RATINGS
Level II
Fremont High #2, Fremont.
VOCAL SOLO AWARDS
Abraham Lincoln High School – Ruby Mabbitt.
Bellevue West High School – Tyler Kalinowski.
Bishop Neumann High School – Caitlin McGuigan, Dawson Hiemstra, Jack Wyllie, Julia Ingwerson.
Boyden-Hull High School – Keilani Maae, Rilan Tiedeman, Taiten Den Besten.
Brownell Talbot – AJ Puskar, Cameran Maxwell.
Centennial Public School – Elijah Utter.
Columbus High School – Bryan Alvarado, Ella May Shevlin, Jenna Taylor, Liz Hoskovec, Lyv Williams, Owen Papstein, Saharah Lasso.
Jones County School – Emmy Newsam.
Minden High School – Emory Porter, Evan Porter, Grace Lee, Sara Shirley.
Miller High School – Laura Evans.
Norfolk High School – AJ Jensen, Jay Koozer, McKinzie Weber.
Ord High School – Samantha Jacobs, Garrett Severance.
Ponca Public School – Abby Fernau, Brooklyn Lowe.
Thomas Jefferson High School – Gwyneth Sudario, Lily Mitchell.
INSTRUMENTAL SOLO AWARDS
Aurora High School – Sofia Hendrickson (Vocals).
Blair High School – Caleb Frank (Alto Sax), Kyle Gross (Trumpet).
Centennial Public School – Micah Richters (Trumpet).
Dakota Valley High School – Pat Phisitkal (Piano), Garret Hanson – (Alto Sax).
Hartington-Newcastle High School – Trynity Zach – (Trumpet).
Mitchell High School – Drex Martinek (Trombone), Mason Buenzaw (Set), Max Hart (Set).
Nebraska City High School – Issy Bare (Flute).
Norfolk Jr. High School #2 – Carter Swenson (Trombone), Nathan Kaiser (Trumpet), Ryker Dahlkoetter (Trombone).
Norfolk High School # 1 – Alex Cook (Alto Sax).
Pierce High School – Travis Emory (Piano), Spencer Sindt (Trombone).
Ponca Public School – Brady Carnal (Trumpet).
Stanton Community School – Tresha Koch (Flugelhorn).
Yankton High School – Damien Magnuson (Trumpet), Owen Wiesseler (Trombone).
$1,000 TUITION WAIVER SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Aquinas Catholic High School – Mara Yindrick.
Blair High School – Sam Lager.
Bloomfield Community School – Taylor Kleinschmit.
Dakota Valley High School – Jayden Axtell, Nathan Romero.
Elkhorn Valley High School – Madison Parker.
Minden High School – Bailey Eckhardt.
Omaha Bryan High School – Austin Diep.
Pierce High School – Ciara Garcia.
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PHOTO ID: Columbus High School vocal jazz choir.