JERSEY - Jersey Community High School Jazz Ensemble competed at the renowned "Jazz in the Meadows" Festival Competition at Rolling Meadows High School on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, and the group scored the highest rating of a Division 1 for their performance and placed second overall in their class, bringing home a second-place trophy.
These students also received recognition for excellence during their performance:
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Merris McDuffie on piano, Eli Hetzel on trumpet, and Jacob Hetzel on trombone.
The JCHS Jazz Ensemble has been competing at this festival for 30 years. Under the Direction of Erin Bittles, seven years ago, the Ensemble received their first-ever Division 1 score.
Since Bittles' arrival, the ensemble has not only received consistent Division 1 scores but has placed in the top three over the past five years.
Students not only received positive feedback from the judges this year, but one judge went out of his way to talk to the crowd about the outstanding job Mrs. Bittles was doing with her ensemble regarding the large size of the ensemble, inclusivity, repertoire selection, and enthusiasm she gets from her students.
