Falcons Flying High At Region Jazz

by Dannan Ross

On February 28th, the Canyon View High School Jazz Band made the journeyed to Carbon High school for their annual region Jazz competition.  The bands performed in front of a panel of three judges from around the state.  This year’s judges were Steve Shirts, the former band director of Cedar High School and now the Cedar Community Band director; John Miller, former American Fork High School band director, now state Marching Band president and teacher at BYU and UVU; and Kelly Ball, the Cedar Middle School band director. 

The band performed three unique pieces:

• Beyond the Sea (as performed by Bobby Darin), written by Charles Trenet, translated by Jack Lawrence, and adapted by Myles Collins.

• This performance featured a vocal solo from Clarissa Howe

• Distant Ridges, written by Kris Berg

• This performance featured a solo from Sarah Sommers, lead alto saxophone player and Canyon View’s Sterling Scholar of Music

• Sing, Sing, Sing (as performed by Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band), written by Louis Prima and arranged by Gordon Goodwin.

• This performance featured five soloes:  Two from drum set player Peyton Roylance; one from Devin Howe, clarinetist; and one each from Taite Carnaseca and Issac Peterson, both on trombone

The competition also included a sight reading portion.  The Canyon View jazz band read Back Burner, featuring a solo from lead trumpet player Austin Peterson.

CV’s Jazz band scored a 1, a 1-, and a 1- minus.  While these scores are quite good, they do not qualify the band for the State Jazz competition in March.  Mr Zeller, the band’s director, had this to say about their performance: “It was a great year, [they] did great.  Unfortunately the judges - two of them gave us a 1-, which is the second highest score you can get, but… They still did great.  They have another concert - I think it’s May 8th.”

Clarissa Howe, the guest vocalist, had a unique opportunity to participate with the band as an outside observer.  When asked what she thought of the band, she said: “I liked meeting the band.  They are very friendly and hard working.”

he May 8th concert will feature the Jazz Band and the percussion class.  The general band/orchestra concert will be that Monday, May 6th.