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| Winners of the 2012 Charles Mingus High School Competition Announced  The winners of the 4th Annual Charles Mingus High School Competition were announced at the competition's onclusion on Sunday evening, February 19th at Manhattan School of Music. Sue Mingus, Director of Let My Children Hear Music/The Charles Mingus Institute and Justin DiCioccio, Assistant Dean and Chair of MSM's Jazz Arts Program, announced the awards that included the Charles Mingus Scholarship given to one competitor to attend Manhattan School of Music.Awards were announced in two categories for each of the combo and big band performances – one for regular high schools and one for specialized performing arts schools. A Charles Mingus Spirit Award was given, as well as twenty outstanding soloist awards cited. In addition, an outstanding big band section was singled out. Prior to the awards presentation the audience was treated to a performance by the Mingus Dynasty - Alex Foster, alto sax; Seamus Blake, tenor sax; Philip Harper, trumpet; Ku-umba Frank Lacy, trombone and vocals; Helen Sung, piano; Boris Kozlov, bass and Donald Edwards, drums. This year's competition and festival also celebrated the 90th birthday anniversary of Charles Mingus. In presenting the awards, Justin DiCioccio said, "Everyone who competed today was a winner. The level of playing was remarkable and the best that I have heard yet at the high school level." Sue Mingus commented, "All of the adjudicators were astonished with the musicianship heard today. For years, Mingus's music was thought to be too difficult to perform, and today, the spirit and vitality that was heard by all of the young musicians playing Mingus's music was really thrilling. The future of the music is in the hands of these kids. They are keeping the music alive." All combos and big bands were required to play Mingus compositions, and in the case of the combos, many of the tunes were arrangements by members of the competing combo. Among Mingus's compositions performed included such tunes as Fables of Faubus, So Long Eric, Haitian Fight Song, Better Get Hit in Your Soul, Jelly Roll, Nostalgia in Times Square, Peggy's Blue Skylight, and Ecclusiastics. The 2012 Charles Mingus High School Competition brought some of the country's most talented young jazz musicians to New York City to attend workshops, play in jam sessions and to compete in the competition. Ten schools, hailing from California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin, were selected by leading jazz musicians and jazz educators to take part in the competition. The competition's goal is to provide an opportunity for high school music students to explore the enormously varied works of Charles Mingus, who left one of the largest and most personal legacies in 20th century American composition, and to find their own voices within the music. In conjunction to the Charles Mingus High School Competition a four-day Charles Mingus Festival took place throughout New York City at Manhattan School of Music, St. Bartholomew's Church and the Jazz Standard. On Saturday, February 18, brass, woodwind, and rhythm clinics were given by members of the Mingus Orchestra, as well as a student jam session and conducting clinic with Gunther Schuller, Justin DiCioccio and Carl Atkins offered. That evening, a concert of Mingus's music showcasing his blues and gospel roots, performed by the Mingus Orchestra conducted by Gunther Schuller was given at New York City's historic St. Bartholomew's Church. And, Friday through Monday nights, Mingus ensembles performed at the Jazz Standard (NYC jazz club) including on Sunday night when the competition's outstanding soloists, named earlier that day, were invited to sit in with the Mingus Big Band. WINNING ENSEMBLES AND OUTSTANDING SOLOISTS COMBOS Adjudicators: Randy Brecker, Justin DiCioccio, Carl Atkins BEST COMBO – REGULAR Category Lexington High School Jazz Combo; from Lexington, MA Kim Rodrig, alto/tenor saxophone; Josh Gilbert, trumpet; Matt Lee, trumpet; Chris Xu, guitar; Even Tarrh, piano; Isaac Levien, bass and Garrett Parrish, drums Band Director: Ken Gable Program: Nostalgia in Times Square, arranged by Evan Tarrh Ecclusiastics, arranged by Ken Gable So Long Eric, arranged by Josh Gilbert BEST COMBO – SPECIALIZED Category Jazz House Small Group, Jazz House Kids; from Montclair, New Jersey Julian Lee and Zoe Obadia, alto saxophones; Liam Werner, trumpet; Rahsaan Pickett, guitar; Theo Wallentiny, piano; Alex Warshafsky, bass; and Conor Malloy, drums Band Directors: Radam Schwartz and Julius Tolention Program: Peggy's Blue Skylight Nostalgia in Times Square Goodbye Pork Pie Hat BIG BAND Ajudicators: Gunther Schuller, Alex Foster, Conrad Herwig BEST BIG BAND – REGULAR Category Lexington High School Jazz Ensemble; from Lexington, MA Saxophones: Kira Daglio Fine, alto saxophone and flute; Netana Markovitz, alto saxophone; Kim Rodrig, tenor saxophone and flute; Nick Kolibas, tenor saxophone; Noah Parker, baritone saxophone Trumpets: Jason Stein, Matt Lee, Josh Gilbert, Justin Foelix and Connor Ross Trombones: Tim Mock, Kai Kitayama and Dan Finch Rhythm: Kenny Wong Labow, guitar; Evan Tarry, piano; Isaac Levien, bass and Garrett Parrish, drums Band Director: Ken Gable Program: Love Chant, arranged by Steve Slagle Gunslinging Bird, arranged by Steve Slagle Opus 4, arranged by Boris Kozlov BEST BIG BAND – SPECIALIZED Category Jazz House Big Band; Jazz House Kids from Montclair, New Jersey Saxophones: Julian Lee and Zoe Obadia, alto saxophones; Nathan Rice and Jack Ferguson, tenor saxophones; Sasha Kolodny, baritone saxophone Trumpets: Justin Charles, Liam Werner, Jeevan Farias, Wallace Roney, and Sammy Melman, Trombones: Coleman Hughes, Ryan VanSlozen, Morgan McArthur, and Marli Horwitz Rhythm: Theo Wallentiny and Isaiah Thompson, piano; Rahsaan Pickett and David Zyto, guitar; Alex Warshafsky and Ian Kenselaar, bass; Conor Malloy and Cameron Macintosh, drums Band Director: Julius Tolentino Program: Gunslinging Bird, arranged by Steve Slagle Tijuana Gift Shop, arranged by Michael Philip Mossman GG Train, arranged by Boris Kozlov MINGUS SPIRIT AWARD The Rivers Big Band, Rivers School from Weston, MA Saxophones: Meagan Hornblower, Duncan Orlander, and Michael Bailey, alto saxophones; Ethan Silverman, tenor saxophone; John McDaniel, tenor sax and clarinet; Brendan King, baritone sax and clarinet Trumpets: Nate Johnson, Griffen Green, James Juliver, Ben Soloway and Matt Burns Trombones: Chris Tomaselli, Jack Reid, Rachel Hawley Rhythm: Casper Adach and Richard Oats, guitar; Jon Levitt, piano; Adam Reid and James Hotchkis, bass; Jeremiah Campanelli and Eric Matthews, drums Band Director: Philippe Crettien Program: Jelly Roll, arranged by Sy Johnson Slippers, arranged by Andrew Homzy Nostalgia in Times Square, arranged by Ronnie Cuber OUTSTANDING SOLOIST AWARDS Twenty outstanding soloist awards, from both the combo and big band categories, were also given out on Sunday. The winners are listed below: Dakota Austin, tenor saxophone Greater Hartford Academy of the Performing Arts, Hartford, Ct. Alex Butterworth, drums Jazz Ensemble 3, Greater Hartford Academy of the Performing Arts, Hartford, Ct. Jeremiah Campanelli, drums The Rivers Big Band, Rivers School, Weston, MA Josh Gilbert, trumpet Lexington High School Jazz Combo and Ensemble, Lexington, MA Alden Hellmuth, alto saxophone Jazz Ensemble 3, Greater Hartford Academy of the Performing Arts, Hartford, Ct. James Hotchkis, bass The Rivers Big Band, Rivers School, Weston, MA Coleman Hughes, trombone Newark Academy Combo, Livingston, NJ and Jazz House Kids Big Band, Montclair, NJ Julian Lee, alto saxophone Jazz House Kids, Montclair, New Jersey Isaac Levien, bass Lexington High School Jazz Combo and Ensemble, Lexington, MA Cameron Macintosh, drums Jazz House Kids, Montclair, New Jersey Conor Malloy, drums Jazz House Kids, Montclair, New Jersey Zoe Obadia, alto saxophone Jazz House Kids, Montclair, New Jersey Adam O’Farrill, trumpet LaGuardia High School Jazz Sextet, LaGuardia High School, New York, NY Garrett Parrish, drums Lexington High School Jazz Combo and Ensemble, Lexington, MA Nathan Rice, soprano saxophone Newark Academy Combo, Livingston, NJ and Jazz House Kids Big Band, Montclair, NJ Wallace Rooney, trumpet Jazz House Kids, Montclair, New Jersey Lenard Simpson, alto saxophone Batterman Ensemble, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Paul Wagenseller, tenor saxophone and clarinet Jazz Ensemble 1, Medfield High School, Medfield, MA Michael Wang, trombone Rio Americano Jazz Combo, Rio Americano High School, Sacramento, California Liam Werner, trumpet Jazz House Kids, Montclair, New Jersey OUTSTANDING BIG BAND SECTION Lexington High School Rhythm Section, Lexington High School Jazz Ensemble from Lexington, Massachusetts Chris Xu, guitar; Evan Tarrh, piano; Isaac Levien, bass; Garrett Parrish, drums Band Director: Ken Gable CHARLES MINGUS SCHOLARSHIP WINNER Adam O’Farrill, trumpet from the LaGuardia High School Jazz Sextet, LaGuardia High School, New York City, was named the winner of the Charles Mingus Scholarship to Manhattan School of Music PARTICIPATING ENSEMBLES AND SCHOOLS INCLUDED: Regular Combo: • Lexington High School Jazz Combo from Lexington, Massachusetts Band Director: Ken Gable • Newark Academy Combo from Livingston, New Jersey Band Director: Julius Tolentino • Rio Americano Jazz Combo, Rio Americano High School from Sacramento, California Band Directors: Max Kiesner and Josh Murray Specialized Combo: • Jazz Ensemble 3, write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Jazz News :: home page |