Magnet Programs

Dillard Center of the Arts Jazz Ensemble Receives National Recognition

May 18, 2010

Categories: General News

DILLARD CENTER OF THE ARTS JAZZ ENSEMBLE TAKES SECOND PLACE AT NATIONAL COMPETITION IN NEW YORK

Dillard High School’s Center of the Arts jazz ensemble placed second in this year’s Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Competition and Festival in New York City Monday, culminating the three-day (May 8-10) event by performing with jazz great trumpeter Wynton Marsalis at the Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.

Dillard was among 15 finalist bands from throughout the country chosen to compete in the nation’s most prestigious high school jazz competition. Performing in perhaps the strongest field of bands in the event’s history, the Dillard jazz ensemble qualified during Monday afternoon’s competition to become one of three finalist bands.

Led by director Christopher Dorsey, the Dillard jazz band performed with the two other top-placing bands (Foxborough High School jazz band, Foxborough, MA, and Garfield High School jazz band, Seattle, WA) in a final evening sold-out concert and awards ceremony open to the public at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

The competition was held over a three-day period at Jazz at Lincoln Center and capped months of preparation by finalists, who were selected on the basis of audition tapes. The festival marks the 15th year of high school competition based on the works of 20th century bandleader and composer Duke Ellington. The festival and competition has gradually been expanded to celebrate the works of other composers, as well.

The 15 finalists were culled from hundreds of schools in the U.S. and American schools worldwide. Judges for this year’s competition included Marsalis, the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center; Ellington scholar David Berger; Mary Lou Williams scholar Ted Buehrer; saxophonist Jimmy Heath and bassist Rodney Whitaker.

At the awards ceremony, Marsalis presented prizes and cash awards to each of the 15 finalist bands. Dillard Center for the Arts accepted the second place trophy and an award of $2,500.

ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is the nation’s sixth largest public school system and the largest fully accredited district with over 255,000 students in more than 290 schools and education centers. For more information about BCPS, visit (www.browardschools.com). Follow BCPS on Twitter (@Broward schools).