The Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Festival invites top student musicians and ensembles, middle school through college level, from around the country to perform and compete for festival titles in Monterey, Calif. The three-day event also hosted auditions for chair positions in the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, which will tour over the summer. This year’s festival featured performances and workshops by artist-in-residence, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. The winners of the 2012 Next Generation Jazz Festival are as follows:
High School Big Band Division Results 2012
First Place:
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts* (Los Angeles, CA)
Jason Goldman, director
Second Place:
Folsom High School Jazz Band I* (Folsom, CA)
Curtis Gaesser, director
Third Place:
Rio Americano High School AM* (Sacramento, CA)
Josh Murray, director
High School Combo Division Results 2012
First Place:
Berkeley High School Combo A* (Berkeley, CA)
Sarah Cline, director
Second Place:
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Combo (Los Angeles, CA)
Jason Goldman, director
Third Place:
ArtsWest High School (Eagle, ID)
Clark Sommers, director
High School Vocal Division Results 2012
First Place:
Folsom High School Jazz Choir I* (Folsom, CA)
Curtis Gaesser, director
Second Place:
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts* (Los Angeles, CA)
Pat Bass, director
Third Place:
Marin School of the Arts (Novato, CA)
Janet Matranga, director
Open Combo Division Results 2012
First Place:
Center of Life Jazz Band* (Pittsburgh, PA)
Tim Smith, director
Second Place:
Colburn Jazz Workshop Monday Night Band (Los Angeles, CA)
Lee Secard, director
Third Place:
Pure Bliss (Boston MA)
Christian Lyman, director
Conglomerate Big Band Division Results 2012
First Place:
Tucson Jazz Institute Ellington Band* (Tucson, AZ)
Doug Tidaback, director
Second Place: Tie
SFJAZZ All Stars Jazz Orchestra (San Francisco, CA)
Rebeca Mauleon & Claire Phillips, directors
Jazzschool Monday Night Studio Band (Berkeley, CA)
Keith Johnson, director
Third Place:
Roll Hill Arts Academy (El Dorado Hills, CA)
Curtis Gaesser, director
College Big Band Division Results 2012
First Place:
Cal State Northridge* (Northridge, CA)
John Daversa, director
Second Place:
Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA)
David Beatty, director
Third Place:
Sacramento State University (Sacramento, CA)
Steve Roach, director
College Vocal Ensemble Division Results 2012
First Place:
Fullerton College “J Train”* (Fullerton, CA)
Jamie Shew, director
Second Place:
Mt. San Antonio College “Singcopation” (Walnut, CA)
Bruce Rogers, director
Third Place:
College of the Canyons “Just Jazz” (Valencia, CA)
Julie Lawson, director
* Will perform at the 55th Monterey Jazz Festival in September, 2012
HIGH SCHOOL COMBO AWARDS 2012
35% Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program
Micah Stevens, guitar, ArtsWest High School (Eagle, ID)
Outstanding High School Combo Soloist Awards
1. Elena Pinderhughes, flute (Berkeley High School Combo) Berkeley, CA
2. Michael Mitchell, drums (Booker T. Washington) Dallas, TX
3. Jacob Shulman, tenor sax (LA County High School for the Arts) Los Angeles, CA
4. Grant Milliken, vibes (Berkeley High School Combo A) Berkeley, CA
HIGH SCHOOL VOCAL AWARDS 2012
Outstanding High School Vocal Soloist Awards
1. Randell Milan, vocals (Downey High School) Downey, CA
2. Blair Pina, vocals, (Valencia High School “Two ‘n’ Four”) Valencia, CA
3. Holly Howell, vocals, (Valencia High School “Two ‘n’ Four”) Valencia, CA
HIGH SCHOOL BIG BAND AWARDS 2012
50% Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program
Arnetta Johnson, trumpet (Creative Arts Morgan Hill Academy), Camden, NJ
University of the Pacific / Brubeck Institute Jazz Camp / $300
Jeric Rocamora, trumpet/composition (Rio Americano High School) Sacramento, CA
Outstanding High School Big Band Soloist Awards
1. Lucas Bere, tenor sax (Rio Americano High School) Sacramento, CA
2. Arnetta Johnson, trumpet (Creative Arts Morgan Hill Academy) Camden, NJ
3. Jeff Brown, tenor saxophone, (Northgate High School) Walnut Creek, CA
4. Michael Jercich, guitar (Folsom High School) Folsom, CA
5. Jasper Dutz, alto sax (LA County High School for the Arts) Los Angeles, CA
6. Jacob Shulman, piano (LA County High School for the Arts) Los Angeles, CA
OPEN COMBO DIVISION AWARDS 2012
Outstanding Open Combo Soloist Awards
1. Elena Pinderhughes, flute (SFJAZZ High School All Stars Combo)
2. George Heid lll, drums (Center of Life Jazz Band) Pittsburgh, PA
3. Mel Goldschmid, trumpet/alto sax (Tucson Jazz Institute) Tucson, AZ
4. Brett Williams, piano (Center of Life Jazz Band) Pittsburgh, PA
CONGLOMERATE BIG BAND DIVISION AWARDS 2012
35% Berklee Summer Performance Program
Meax Goldschmid, trombone (Tucson Jazz Institute) Tucson, AZ
Outstanding Conglomerate Big Band Soloist Awards
1. Elena Pinderhughes, flute (SFJAZZ All-Stars Jazz Orchestra) San Francisco, CA
2. Mel Goldschmid, trumpet/alto sax, (Tucson Jazz Institute) Tucson, AZ
3. Nick Lamb, piano (Jazzschool Monday Night Studio Band) Berkeley, CA
COLLEGE VOCAL JAZZ ENSEMBLE DIVISION AWARDS 2012
Outstanding College Vocal Jazz Soloist Awards
1. Zach Yaholkovsky (West Valley College Jazz Singers) Saratoga, CA
2. Greg Fletcher (Fullerton College) Fullerton, CA
3. Natalie Mendoza (College of the Canyons) Valencia, CA
COLLEGE BIG BAND DIVISION AWARDS 2012
Outstanding Soloist Awards
1. Austen Yancey, baritone saxophone (CSU Northridge) Northridge, CA
2. Jacob Scesney, alto saxophone (CSU Northridge) Northridge, CA
3. Mike Briones, trombone (Azusa Pacific University) Azusa, CA
4. Johanne Ramirez, drums (CSU Northridge) Northridge, CA
5. Jonah Levine, trombone (UCLA) Los Angeles, CA
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION AWARDS 2012
$300 UOP Scholarship – 2012 Brubeck Institute Jazz Camp
Jedd Wonohadidjojo, guitar (Sutter Middle School) Folsom, CA
Outstanding Middle School Soloist Awards
Berkay Besaran, drums (Sutter Middle School) Folsom, CA
Joseph deMontel, trumpet (Sutter Middle School) Folsom, CA
James Willis, trombone (Foothill Middle School) Walnut Creek, CA
Outstanding Middle School Section Awards
Saxophone: Oak Middle School / Los Alamitos, CA
Trombone: Stanley Middle School / Lafayette, CA
Trumpet: Sutter Middle School / Folsom, CA
Rhythm Section: Oak Middle School / Los Alamitos, CA