The Montezuma-Cortez High School symphonic and jazz bands earned several awards in April and May, and the bands wrap up the year with a Senior Appreciation Concert on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the high school auditorium.
On April 21, the symphonic winds band received a “superior” rating for their performance at the Colorado High School Activities Association large group festival in Bayfield, director Rodney Ritthaler said. A day later, the group traveled to Grand Junction for the Colorado West Music Festival, where they earned another “superior” rating and the “Outstanding Concert Band” award among groups in Class 3A.
The jazz band also competed at the Colorado West Music Festival, earning a “superior” rating and the Class 3A “Outstanding Jazz Band” award. On May 2, the jazz band played at the Colorado Mesa University Jazz Festival in Grand Junction, where they had a “terrific performance and clinic,” Ritthaler said. Senior trumpet player Skyler Smith earned an outstanding soloist award at the festival.
On May 6, the jazz band performed at the Skyline Jazz Festival in Longmont. The band earned another “superior” rating and Smith earned another outstanding soloist award.
For the Senior Appreciation Concert, the program will include a selection of songs from the musical “Les Miserables” performed by the symphonic winds. The jazz band will perform a number of latin, swing and funk tunes, including the Weather Report song “Birdland.”
Senior trumpeter Raquel Lucero said she was excited to perform the catchy and exciting jazz songs at the concert.
Flute player Judy Ha, also a senior, said the band had improved over her four high school years, and relationships between members now are better. Ha said the marching band is improving, too. The marching band will debut new uniforms for the upcoming fall season, she said.
“We’re getting more creative and using new marching techniques,” Ha said.
Lucero said the high school band program is drawing large freshman classes each year.
“The band is growing,” she said. “Next year it will get bigger.”