Submitted by:
Mark Matejka |
After many rehearsals, the 12-member Minitonas Middle Years School (MMYS) Jazz Combo, The Jazzmanian Devils, under the direction of Mr. Matejka arrived at the 38th Annual Regina Springfest Band Festival (May 25-26, 2017).
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We were one of about 50 registered groups that performed and competed, received adjudications and a 1 hour workshop.
We see this event as not only a final test of our playing skills, but also as a social team-building excursion. Thursday was our travel and social events
day. We took in some consumer activity at the Cornwall Center, played a couple rounds of laser tag, and treated ourselves to a great meal at Boston Pizza.
However, Friday was all business. After arriving at the University of Regina Education Building, we settled into our warm-up room. On stage, the Jazzmanian Devils did not hold back on focus and energy; we played enthusiastically, offered great solos, and played tightly. We then listened carefully as our renowned jazz adjudicators, composers, and performers, Chris Jacklin, alto sax (U of R) and Barry Redford, trumpet (U of S), gave us some immediate and valuable feedback and critique in an hour-long workshop on stage. Our adjudicators, both remembered MMYS’s outstanding performance from previous years and informed us that they were so happy and impressed to hear us play again.
The adjudicators then informed us that our excellent performance earned our jazz band a Gold Award! The criteria for this rating comes from excelling in 9 categories (with 33 subcategories): tone quality, intonation, balance, rhythm, technique, stylisticconcept, solo skills, musical selection, stage deportment.
One written comment in particular on our adjudication pages sums up high praise for our ensemble: “Very much a performance group…,” referring to the mastery level of our playing.
You can hear the Jazzmanian Devils along with other performing groups from the Valley at the upcoming Valley Jazz Night.
The Jazzmanian Devils members are:
Justyna Vandepoele (tenor sax) ~ Bryn Zamzow (alto sax) ~ Saige Behrmann (tenor sax) ~ Tynisha Dietz (tenor sax and flute) ~ Jayden Beauchamp (clarinet) ~ Kristen Boychuk (trumpet) ~ Jorja Staniland (trumpet) ~ Madeleine Lambert (trombone) ~ Ellie Oakes (trombone) ~ Katie Smith (piano) ~ Autumn Klekta (bass) ~ Nick Baskier (drums)
The great amount of preparation and fundraising by the students (and parents) that went into this endeavour is well worth it as an educational, social, and aesthetic experience. Compliments go to the students on their exemplary behavior as ambassadors of our school to this festival – it was an absolute pleasure taking these students abroad this year to all of our performances – they carry themselves so professionally.
A HUGE Thank-you goes to Mr. Simpson and Ms. Brenna Smith (Band Instructor at Birch River) for driving and chaperoning – thanks for being there for us! Thanks also to our SVSD for transportation funding. And parents, thank-you for allowing this opportunity and supporting your child in all the ways parents do – it was truly an investment in their education.