On January 27th, the 7 O’clock Jazz Band, under the direction of Matthew Cody, traveled to North Fayette Valley High School to participate in the Iowa High School Music Association’s State Jazz Band Festival. 

The band performed their set for three expert judges and were given comments and a rating.  Students earned a division 1–Superior–rating from all three judges. 

“The band played great tonight!” said Cody. “It’s a good feeling when all of their hard work, effort, and time come together with a result we can be proud of regardless of the rating. But we’re thrilled the judges liked what they heard.”

The students who form the 7 O’clock Jazz Band are as follows: on alto saxophone–Grant Zilka and Elsa Christman; on tenor saxophone–June Breitenbach-Dirks and Mikayla Hiner; on baritone saxophone–Davis Walter; on trombone–Evan Madsen, Vivian Searcy, and Colin Thompson. In addition, Aitor Cuevas, Nils Peterson, Max Goodner, and Klara Kelly play trumpet; Oliver Brummel plays guitar; Natalie Goodner plays the piano; Jameson LaBelle and Liam Chamberlain play drums; and Ezra Vorvick plays the bass.

The 7 O’clock Jazz Band, along with the middle school jazz band, will host the annual Jazz Coffeehouse held on Thursday, March 6th at 7:00 p.m. in the Decorah High School cafeteria.  Performances will include music performed at the festival along with famous charts from the Big Band era.