District 117 will be hosting Jazz Night on Wednesday, March, 20 at Lakes Community High School. The concert will include performances by Antioch Community High School’s two Jazz Bands and Jazz Choir along with the LCHS Jazz Band, Jazz Choir, and middle school jazz bands. Jazz Night showcases the talent of top music students who work hard on their respective instruments to learn various jazz pieces.
ACHS senior Sophia Mann is a member of Jazz I and is excited to share what her group has been working on. Outside of the Jazz band, Mann is a member of the ACHS wind ensemble and pit for the Musicals; additionally, she is president of Tri-M Music Honors Society. Mann plays the saxophone, guitar, flute and piano. For Jazz night, Mann will play the saxophone. Mann shared that Jazz I has been working on a variety of Jazz pieces for the event some that they began working on in the fall and others that they recently received. For Mann jazz night is a time to see other musicians perform, something she finds interesting.
“My favorite part of Jazz Night is getting to see all the other jazz bands and seeing the younger jazz ensembles that I used to be in,” Mann said.
Similarly, junior Gabbie Salinel has been working on music for Jazz Night as well. Salinel has been a member of the ACHS Jazz Choir for three years. Salinel’s other musical experience includes being in musicals at ACHS, singing in Acapella and Madrigal Choir and being a member of Tri-M Music Honors Society. Salinel and the rest of Jazz Choir began working on their first jazz piece at the beginning of the school year and are performing six songs including “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Alice in Wonderland.” Jazz music is difficult to execute and Salinel frequently has to find her own time to practice the music since the group only meets once a week for about an hour.
Both Salinel and Mann encourage anyone who can come to Jazz Night to come. The event is on Wednesday, March 20 at LCHS. It is a night filled with the music of talented community musicians and the night showcases the immense amount of talent the Fine Arts department possesses.
