Sammi Ciardi ’15: The Episcopal Jazz Band recently returned from the Berklee High School Jazz Festival in Boston, Massachusetts, where they joined hundreds of other jazz ensembles for an opportunity to play for judges from the Berklee College of Music and receive feedback. “I love sharing this whole experience with the band, especially the students who have never gone before, because the feedback I get from nearly every single student who has ever gone is overwhelmingly positive,” stated Ryan Dankanich, band teacher and director of the jazz band.
Photo courtesy of Donna Archamabault
Woody Nimoityn ’15, a member of the jazz band, will be attending this festival for his second time this year. “It’s a fun trip. I went when I was a freshman and I’m excited to go again. [The festival] helps us improve on the music individually and as a group. It’s also a great chance for us to bond as a band,” Nimoityn said.
The jazz band spent the first evening of the trip by going to the Scullers Jazz Club to see the Bad Plus Trio perform. The following day was the festival, where the students were able to attend clinics taught by professional musicians.
“The most beneficial part of it is the opportunity to see and hear other bands from around the country, and participate in the clinics. It’s also a great team-building opportunity,” explained Dankanich.
The clinics are especially helpful because the schedule since Christmas break has left little time for the jazz band to rehearse as a group: Two weeks of rehearsal were lost due to J-Term in addition to the days lost as a result of the unusual number of snow days.
The festival also consisted of an adjudicated performance. The EA jazz band was not entered in a competing class, but they were able to receive a score and constructive criticism from music professionals, which is highly beneficial for both the students and Dankanich, who is extremely proud of all the band has accomplished this year.
“This is the best-sounding, most talented EA jazz ensemble in many years, and it’s the best the band has sounded since it became a ‘true’ jazz big band,” he raved. nding this festival for his second time this year. “It’s a fun trip. I went when I was a freshman and I’m excited to go again. [The festival] helps us improve on the music individually and as a group. It’s also a great chance for us to bond as a band,” Nimoityn said.
The jazz band spent the first evening of the trip by going to the Scullers Jazz Club to see the Bad Plus Trio perform. The following day was the festival, where the students were able to attend clinics taught by professional musicians.
“The most beneficial part of it is the opportunity to see and hear other bands from around the country, and participate in the clinics. It’s also a great team-building opportunity,” explained Dankanich.
The clinics are especially helpful because the schedule since Christmas break has left little time for the jazz band to rehearse as a group: Two weeks of rehearsal were lost due to J-Term in addition to the days lost as a result of the unusual number of snow days.
The festival also consisted of an adjudicated performance. The EA jazz band was not entered in a competing class, but they were able to receive a score and constructive criticism from music professionals, which is highly beneficial for both the students and Dankanich, who is extremely proud of all the band has accomplished this year.
“This is the best-sounding, most talented EA jazz ensemble in many years, and it’s the best the band has sounded since it became a ‘true’ jazz big band,” he raved.