|
|
Photo from a previous SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase. Photo credit is Dani Nightlinger
BETHLEHEM, PA—ArtsQuest and King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul LLC are proud to announce the members of the 2020 SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase All-Star Band. At least one student from each participating high school has been selected for the honor.
The 2020 SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase finals were set to take place in March at SteelStacks; however, the event was cancelled because of COVID-19 epidemic and related school and business closures. Students were chosen by the showcase judging panel based on their performances in the preliminary rounds. Judges making the selections were Dr. Neil Wetzel of Moravian College Music Department and instructors and educators Dave Kenney, Chuck Dressler, Patrick Dorian, Dr. Eddie Severn, Dr. Marc Jacoby and Jeff Twiford.
“I think it was especially important to name a SteelStacks High School All Star Jazz Band this year given the COVID-19 related quarantine and how it has interrupted so many arts programs,” says Wetzel, the judging panel leader. “The nominated students are extremely talented, and we all feel the need to acknowledge their hard work and musical gifts, as well as the contributions of their teachers.”
The high school jazz showcase was created to give outstanding high school musicians the opportunity to continue to hone their music-making skills and perform in front of live audiences. ArtsQuest plans to continue the showcase in 2021.
“While it is sad in a way that the students didn’t get to compete in the finals this year, it is wonderful that their achievements will still be celebrated in this way,” said KingSpry Education Law Practice Chair John Freund. “The students, their families and the schools show enormous commitment to their education and practice schedules.
“We witness some amazing talent on the SteelStacks stage every year, and I would not be surprised if one day soon, some of these kids find themselves back at ArtsQuest appearing with a festival headliner. We congratulate them all.”
2020 High School Jazz All-Star Band
SAXOPHONES
Julian McNaull (alto) North Penn High School Navy Jazz Band
Coby Gumulak (alto/sop) Phillipsburg High School
Andrew Morales (alto sax) Freedom High School
Julian Carlisle (tenor) Bernards High School
Maya Brigandi (tenor) The Hill School
Wesley Shaw (bari) Quakertown Community High School
TRUMPETS
Aidan O’Shea Phillipsburg High School
Aaron Koehler Wilson High School
Spencer Guido Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
Anthony Martinez Dieruff High School
Martina Fedorowicz Saucon Valley High School
Christina Quinn Warren Hills High School
TROMBONES
Isaac Detwiler
Gabby Schwartz North Penn High School Navy Jazz Band
Christiana Schleich Easton Area High School
Peter Racile
Hunter Gifford (bass bone) Easton Area High School
RHYTHM SECTION
Isaiah Nygard (piano) Kutztown High School
Mira Patla (piano) Bernards High School
Skyler Stabin (piano) Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
Louis Fox (guitar) Quakertown Community High School
Jacob Lau (bass) Phillipsburg High School
Joshua Szabo (drum set) Quakertown Community High School
Eric Wang (vibes) North Penn High School Columbia Jazz Band
VOCALISTS
Chloe Washburn Wilson High School
Jewel Lopez
The SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase is a music-in-education program of ArtsQuest and the Moravian College Music Department’s Jazz Studies Program and is made possible thanks to King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC. For more information, please visit www.steelstacks.org or call 610-332-3378.
Information provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko, ArtsQuest
http://www.artsquest.org/
