Varsity Jazz Band
The jazz program at Lincoln High School, a grades 9-12 high school,
has long been considered one of the strongest in the state of Nebraska.
Lincoln High School offers two jazz bands as standard curriculum in the
daily schedule.
The Prep Jazz Band, a non audition ensemble, consists of a variety of
high school musicians and does not have a set instrumentation. It
contains younger musicians, usually sophomores, who are learning the
jazz art form as well as upperclassmen who may be trying a second
instrument or not ready for the demands of Varsity Jazz Band.
Varsity Jazz Band's personnel is made up of upperclassmen, and the
occasional Sophomore, all of whom must go through a rigorous musical as
well as personal exam. Musicianship as well as personal maturity are
both considered for entrance in to Varsity Jazz Band.
The bands performance schedules include regular season concerts,
in-school concerts at many of Lincoln's Middle Schools, community
appearances, and several jazz festivals and competitions throughout the
Midwest.
Prep Jazz Band has been awarded several Superior Ratings and three times has been recognized as Best In Class.
Varsity Jazz Band's awards are numerous. They have received Superior
Ratings at the Lincoln Public Schools Jazz Festival, Wayne State
College Jazz Contest, The University of Northern Colorado at Greeley
Jazz Festival, The Kansas State University Jazz Festival, The Hastings
College Jazz Festival, The University of Nebraska at Lincoln Jazz
Festival and The Kansas City Jazz Festival. At The Festival in the
Parks contest they have been awarded Best in Class and Best Overall
Musical Ensemble. At the multi state Bellevue East Jazz Contest, the band has, in the past, received a Superior Rating, Best In Class and has won the
Grand Championship several times. In 2000 the Varsity Jazz Band won the
Best in Jazz Division at the National Events Culigan-Holiday Bowl
contest in San Diego, California.
On December 28,2003 the Lincoln High School Varsity Jazz Band performed in the London New Years Day Parade and Music Festival in the Great Hall on Parliament Square in London,England before an audience of over 2,000 receiving a rousing British standing ovation.
Members of the Lincoln High Varsity Jazz Band have been awarded
countless Solo Awards, nominated to All Star Festival Jazz Bands,
received Best Soloist Awards, and have participated in several state
and regional Honor Jazz Bands. Many regularly attend jazz camps across
the nation.
Lincoln Public Schools, Lincoln, Nebraska
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