On February 23, Hill Jazz Ensemble competed in The SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase. The competition is an annual event where high school jazz bands from both Pennsylvania and New Jersey perform for a live audience and are judged by music educators. There are four categories for awards: Best Saxophone, Best Brass Section, Best Rhythm Section, and Best Soloist. In the past, members of the Hill School Jazz Ensemble won numerous awards, including the Best Brass Section and Best Trombone Solo. 

While waiting for their own performance, the instrumentalists also get the opportunity to listen to different types of jazz and be exposed to different levels and styles. 

“My favorite part is being exposed to lots of different jazz composers and expanding my horizons,” Melissa Xu ’20 said. 

This year, the jazz ensemble played three different pieces: “Prayer Meetin’” by Matt Harris, a Christian jazz song; “Caravan” by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol; and “Yardbird Suite” by Charlie Parker. The week prior to the competition, they prepared by running down the set list, finding issues, and fine-tuning their performance.

This year, there were six bands competing in the event, which is more than ever before. The jazz ensemble received a rating of “Excellent” for their performance, which is the second highest rating one can get for a performance in the showcase.

“The results aren’t really an accurate reflection of our performance because it’s been one of the best set lists we’ve done, but rather a reflection of a changing competition pool,” Melissa Xu ‘20 said. “All the schools were very musically competitive.”

Typically, the jazz ensemble also competes in the “Get JazzED” Jazz Fest in Reading PA. But this year, due to scheduling complications, they are unable to attend.

So far in the 2019-20 school year, the jazz ensemble has participated in a few events, including the Hill Fall Music Festival, the Hill Winter Music Festival, and the Performing Arts Elementary School Outreach Tour, where they played their set for St. Aloysius Parish School and The Wyndcroft School. Their final performance of the year will be at the Hill Spring Music Festival, which is on April 24, 2020.