Jazz fills the air at North County
BONNE TERRE – Trumpeter Serafin Aguilar of Los Angeles closed out the weekend’s two-day 19th Annual North County Jazz Festival with a concert held Saturday night with the NC Jazz Ensemble and the Mineral Area “Kicks” band.
Aguilar, a professional trumpet player for almost two decades led a clinic earlier in the day for southeast Missouri jazz students whose bands played free concerts throughout the day. Following the clinic, Aguilar spent time speaking one-on-one with many of the young musicians, offering them advice on how to improve their musical acumen, as well as encouraging them to follow their dreams.
Approximately 200 hungry diners attended a spaghetti dinner held Friday night at the school in connection with the festival.
Jazz filled the air on Saturday as 11 bands played in the high school auditorium. The free concerts ended at 3:30 p.m. when North County High School Director of Bands Shane Verges announced the results of judging that took place throughout the festival.
“North County Band Boosters, students and music educators of the North County School District thank this community for supporting jazz education in the Mineral Area,” said Verges. “This jazz festival would not be possible without your participation and support.”
Judging results were as follows:
Farmington Lab – 1 rating; outstanding soloists – Nick Mills and Nick Bauer
Farmington Ensemble – 1 rating; outstanding soloists – John McNamara, Aaron Hahn, Connor Purkett and Chandler Spradling.
Dexter High School – 1 rating; outstanding soloists – Brandon Moore, Joseph Greer and Alex Rybolt.
North County Middle School – 1 rating; outstanding soloists – Jessica Black, Kamille Kell, Gage Cummings and Haley Borderlon
Liberty High School – 1 rating; outstanding soloist – Jessica Mantel.
Northwest High School – 2 rating; outstanding soloists – Dan Walker and Josh Fenney.
Potosi Middle School – 2 rating; outstanding soloists – Bailey Jackson and Alisha Duncan.
North County High School – 1 rating; outstanding soloists – Byron Allen, Peter Hickman and Charlyn Ortmann.
Potosi High School – 1 rating; outstanding soloist – Caleb Browne.
Dexter Middle School – 1 rating; outstanding soloists – Destiny Cagle and Gina Magarina.
Farmington Middle School – 1 rating; outstanding soloists – John Bader, John Wilson and Christian Jones.
Saturday’s judges were Michael Goldsmith and Dan Schunks of Mineral Area College; and Dr. Joel Vanderheyden of Jefferson College.
Upcoming band/choir events scheduled by the North County School District include:
May 10 – High School Choir Concert
May 14 – High School Band Concert
May 15 – Middle School Choir Concert
May 16 – Middle/High School Jazz Band Concert
May 17 – Middle School and Intermediate Band Concert
Kevin R. Jenkins is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at kjenkins@dailyjournalonline.com.
