On Sunday, February 18, The Hill School Jazz Ensemble competed with 20 other high school bands from Pennsylvania and New Jersey at the 7th Annual SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase. These jazz groups  performed in front of a live audience and a judging panel comprised of music educators.

SteelStacks separated each music selection into categories such as dynamic contrast and literature selection. Then the judges graded each category. Combined with how well they were  graded in all categories, a band receives its overall rating at the end.

“This is Hill’s second year attending SteelStacks,” Margaret Neiswender, director of instrumental music, said.

Last year, The Hill Jazz Ensemble received ‘the best rhythm section’ award and ‘excellent’ for overall rating. Larry Lo ‘18 and John Khan ‘17 also received ‘best soloist’ awards.

“My most memorable moments from last year’s SteelStacks was when the band was recognized for its great performance and when I was awarded a soloist award,” Larry Lo ‘18,  co-president of Hill Jazz Ensemble, said. “Both myself and the whole band had worked very hard to perform as well as we could, and it was very satisfying to see our efforts pay off.”

SteelStacks’ stage is located in a retrofitted steel factory that now serves as an entertainment center. The students perform in front of a glass wall and behind the glass is the modern steel factory.

“SteelStacks’ stage is awesome,” Shuyi Jin ‘19, a piano player who went to the showcase with Hill Jazz Ensemble last year, said. “The setup of the stage created the perfect atmosphere for musicians to perform. I’m really excited to go back to the venue.”

Neiswender expressed that she hopes the students can use this opportunity to immerse into the jazz culture.

“It’s wonderful to hear other jazz ensembles and receive comments from judges so that we know where to improve,” Neiswender said.

“It was exciting to see some of the students in our ensemble being recognized as ‘best soloists’ last year. I hope that this year there can be even more of us,” Jin said. “Seeing musicians from other schools playing different styles of jazz was inspiring.”