These two fine young adults, with their impeccable fashion sense, are members of one of the Highland High School Jazz bands. (Matt plays the trombone and Lauren the saxophone. Both also play other instruments in the Marching Band and the Symphonic Band.)
The Highland High School Band department is sponsoring the First Annual Highland Jazz Festival on March 26 – 27, 2010. This is going to be an amazing event for local and regional high school and college bands as well as fans of jazz music.
Two premier jazz artists, 13 time Grammy nominee Bob Mintzer and 6 time Jazz Journalists Association Trombonist of the Year Wycliffe Gordon, will be playing concerts available to the public.
The kids will get to attend workshops lead by several world class musicians and college music professors. It promises to be a great program for young adults at all levels.
Such a wonderful event requires lots of planning, and unfortunately, lots of money. Bringing award winning artists and some of the best clinicians in the country isn’t cheap. Phoenix Real Estate Guy and Thompson’s Realty are sponsoring Matt and Lauren’s chairs, but that’s not even remotely enough.
So yeah, I’m asking folks to consider donating to the cause. The music program in the local (and I suspect elsewhere) schools took significant budget cuts. If we want to get kids the music and arts education they need, we’re going to have to pony up the bucks. I honestly can’t think of any better cause than our children’s education.
The Highland Jazz Festival has different sponsorship levels for individual, business, corporate and institutional donations. And they need donations. As the Arizona Republic recently reported, community support for the Jazz Festival is lacking.
This is a great opportunity for local, state and national businesses and organizations to support a terrific program that will benefit high school music programs across the Valley.
We need people to step up. For more info, go to the Jazz Festival page or Republic article.
Here’s some of the kids at Jazz Band practice. The one on the left is mine!
Photo credit: Michael Schennum/The Arizona Republic
More photos from the Arizona Republic
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice post.. Thanks
How can I get one of those T-shirts?
I think you guys performed well. It would be great if you post your video along this post. The logo on your T-shirt is good
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Well Joe, if you really want a TPREG t-shirt…. http://www.zazzle.com/phoenix_real_estate_guy_t...
test comment #giannii
Thanks for stopping by Giannii, all seems well with Disqus now. maybe just a momentary glitch of the interwebs…
I am totally agree with them and glad to be the part of it.
Tia Smith
SocialPark
Way cool. You're an old fart, like me, with kids still in high school, huh. I have one in Highland HS and one in Gilbert HS. Gotta love us older dudes with younger teenagers.
I thought your daughter played clarinet?
It's a shame that the arts programs get their budgets whacked. I bet the football program didn't (not that there is anything wrong with football).
Coop – she does play clarinet. And flute, piccolo and sax. And a bit of piano. Clearly she does not get her musical talent from her father.
I don't know if the football budget was cut. But I suspect if it was, it wasn't cut anywhere close to the extent the music program was….
Well, this Jazz festival is going to rock. I love jazz bands; i can see in the image that these kinds are enjoying a lot.
Hi all! I love the advertisement and donations! I know who I will use the next time I am in the housing market.
Thank you guys!
Lewis Nelson
Highland Band Director