The Huge Band at Celia Cruz Bronx Excessive Faculty of Music will compete within the thirtieth annual Primarily Ellington competitors in Could.
Photograph courtesy Penelope Smetters-Jacono
The Huge Band on the Celia Cruz Bronx Excessive Faculty of Music has been named one in every of 30 finalists within the Primarily Ellington Excessive Faculty Jazz Band Competitors & Competition and can carry out at Lincoln Heart in Could.
The annual competitors, now in its thirtieth yr, will carry collectively prime highschool jazz ensembles from all around the United States, in addition to Spain, Japan and Australia.
This isn’t the Celia Cruz Huge Band’s first time being honored within the high-level competitors. The band made the finals in 2020 however needed to take part just about as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, so this yr will mark the college’s first in-person look.
Forward of the competition, all of the finalist colleges are internet hosting visits by acclaimed musicians to assist encourage and put together the scholars for the large stage.
Grammy-winning trombonist, arranger, composer, and educator Francisco Torres met with the Celia Cruz college students on March 17 and labored with them for 4 hours on “bringing the music they’re playing to the next level,” stated band director Penelope Smetters-Jacono in an interview with the Bronx Instances.
Smetters-Jacono, who has led the Celia Cruz band program because it opened in 2003, stated her 20 Huge Band college students have been working exhausting all yr to qualify for Primarily Ellington.
Given the excessive degree of competitors from throughout the U.S. and world wide, “Just to be chosen as a finalist is an honor,” she stated.
The scholars are rehearsing the basic Ellington tunes “I Didn’t Know About You,” “The St. Louis Blues” and “What Am I Here For,” plus the lesser-known “Oclupaca,” from his album “Latin American Suite.”
Smetters-Jacono stated her teenage college students love the previous jazz requirements. “Once they’re exposed to it, they find a deep love for it.”
Primarily Ellington will likely be a possibility for development and studying, not simply competitors, she stated. “We’re honored to be part of this, and we’re really excited to share our music with everyone else on a stage with so many other excellent ensembles.”
This yr, because the competitors marks its thirtieth anniversary, this system was prolonged from three days to 5 to permit bands extra time to take part in competitions, jam periods, workshops, and rehearsals. The ultimate live performance and awards ceremony will likely be held Could 11 on the Metropolitan Opera Home.
