By Staff Writer Lynn Arbid
Naperville North High School’s jazz musicians brought home multiple awards at the North Shore Jazz festival on Saturday, January 18.
The NNHS Jazz Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Combo all placed first, according to Band Director Dan Moore. Jazz musician Taylor Kroma also received her first solo award.
“I am incredibly proud of all our jazz musicians,” said Moore. “Sweeping the awards at North Shore is very impressive and a result of a lot of hard work and concentration.”
The NNHS Jazz Band, which is the second group level, placed first in the Lab Band classification. This is their third year in a row placing first.
For the second year in a row, Jazz Combo, which is our small group, also placed first in the Jazz Combo classification.
Also, the NNHS Jazz Ensemble, which is our top group, placed first in the top bands classification. Jazz Ensemble also took home the title of overall Grand Champion for the entire festival for the first time in 15 years.
According to Kroma, she won an outstanding soloist award for her solo on the bass, an instrument she has been playing since she was 11 years old.
“It was really flattering, but also surprising and shocking. I worked really hard, and it was nice to see that other people recognized [my hard work],” said Kroma.
Before the bass, Kroma played the piano for twelve years and the cello for eight years. Although she still continues to play these instruments today, the bass is her preferred instrument and the reason she joined jazz band.
She hopes to receive a jazz studies degree and aspires to be a university professor.
The North Shore Jazz Festival was held at Glenbrook South High School, and it attracts countless jazz musicians.
A total of seventy groups performed at the festival in numerous classifications.
University music professors and nationally acclaimed jazz professionals made up the panels of judges for the competition.
These NNHS Jazz groups will showcase their talent at a concert at NNHS on Thursday, February 6, at 7:00pm in the NPAC.
Hannah Novak • Mar 9, 2014 at 10:51 pm
The Jazz groups will also be performing at the annual 40s Dance! It’s a great way to learn how to swing dance and hear some rad live music – along with the addition of vocalists from the “jazz choir”, a student-organized group.