Music News: Snow Hits First Night of LCPS Jazz Festival

(Jan. 27, 2011) - Snow has halted the first day of this year’s Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Jazz Festival but there will still be plenty of music to take in during the event at Woodgrove High School.


During this event, jazz ensembles from high schools and middle schools across Loudoun County will perform and be critiqued by a panel of judges and have clinic sessions with the guest artist. (See performance schedule below.)

Headlining the weekend’s events will be the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) District 16 All-District Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Alan Wright. Wright has played with an impressive list of professional musicians and has taught jazz on the faculties of both James Madison and Shenandoah universities. His high school concert and jazz bands have consistently received superior ratings and won top honors both across the U.S. and internationally, including a performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

This year’s District Jazz Ensemble will perform for the public at 7 p.m. January 29th.

The following students are included in this group:
• Alto 1 : Brenton Jackson, Stone Bridge High School
• Alto 2: Daniel Kent, Loudoun County High School
• Tenor 1: Jared White, Briar Woods High School
• Tenor 2: Jimmy McNamee, Stone Bridge High School
• Baritone: Rohan Ramesh, Broad Run High School
• Trumpet 1: Michael Reilly, Briar Woods High School
• Trumpet 2: William Ghrist, Briar Woods High School
• Trumpet 3: Jake Rausher, Broad Run High School
• Trumpet 4: Lincoln Dunn, Broad Run High School
• Trumpet 5: Hamza Ahmad, Briar Woods High School
• Trombone 1: Drew Comparin, Stone Bridge High School
• Trombone 2: Daniel Shafer, Park View High School
• Trombone 3: Nathan Whipple, Stone Bridge High School
• Trombone 4: Matt Davis, Loudoun Valley High School
• Bass Trombone: Turner Thornberry, Dominion High School
• Piano: Nick Miller, Woodgrove High School
• Guitar: Ivan Barry, Briar Woods High School
• Bass: Joe Sabatino, Heritage High School
• Vibes: Patrick Fisher, Park View High School
• Drums: Adam Ray, Loudoun Valley High School
• Drums: Casey Hart, Briar Woods High School

Performance Schedule (all performances at Woodgrove High School)
Friday, January 28th
Smart’s Mill Middle School: 4 p.m.
Eagle Ridge Middle School: 4:30 p.m.
Simpson Middle School: 5 p.m.
Seneca Ridge Middle School: 5:30 p.m.
Sterling Middle School: 6 p.m.
Harper Park Middle School: 6:30 p.m.
River Bend Middle School: 7 p.m.
Harmony Middle School: 7:30 p.m.
Potomac Falls High School: 8 p.m.

Saturday, January 29th
Woodgrove High School: 9:30 a.m.
Stone Bridge High School Silver Jazz Lab: 10 a.m.
Briar Woods High School-2: 10:30 a.m.
Freedom High School: 11 a.m.
Stone Bridge High School Blue Jazz Lab: 11:30 a.m.
Broad Run High School: 1 p.m.
Park View High School: 1:30 p.m.
Briar Woods High School: 12 p.m.
Stone Bridge High School Jazz Ensemble: 12:30 p.m.
Loudoun Valley High School: 3 p.m.
All-District Jazz Ensemble Performance: 7 p.m.