Noteworthy Talent!

Four Lakeside High School students have earned the honor of membership in the Spokane All-City Jazz Ensembles. Musicians from all over the greater Spokane area and Coeur d’Alene were involved in auditioning for these honor jazz bands conducted by Rob Tapper of Eastern Washington University. The ensembles are designed to take the best young jazz musicians in Spokane and give them an intensive jazz experience. Three are members of the intermediate ensemble, and one plays for the advanced ensemble.

As part of these ensembles, the Lakeside students will perform at least three times this year. A guest artist will be a part of the second performance on Sunday, February 10th, at 7:30 p.m., at EWU. To prepare, the group rehearses every Sunday. “It’s worth it!” replied one musician in regards to rehearsing every weekend for the next year. “We learn techniques to help us play better.” Mr. Tapper plays the pieces, and then the musicians have to “copy” him, learning the selections first by ear, then receiving the sheet music. “Everyone knows the notes, so we don’t have to worry about the notes; it’s more about sounding well together,” explained one student. Practices are fast-paced, and all the musicians are highly motivated and dedicated.

All four students are also in Mr. Dan Nord’s Jazz Ensemble at the high school for which they also had to audition. Two of the students are freshmen, one is a sophomore, and one is a junior. They all plan to audition again next year for the Spokane All-City Jazz Ensembles as they foresee music as part of their college experience. “I’m really proud of the extra effort these kids are putting forth. The experiences gained through working with Eastern’s college professors and the best high school students in the Spokane area are beyond measure. It’s really an honor for our school and a tribute to these kids to be a member of such a prestigious group,” stated Mr Nord.