The schools jazz musicians take the stage under the Performing Arts Centers' vibrant lighting. On April 11, the school hosted the SDUHSD Jazz Festival featuring performances from all over the district. Photo courtesy of Riley Willcox.
She taps her toe to the beat of the music. Tap, tap, tap. Even way back of the Performing Arts Center, you can see it.
It is a subtle but unmistakable sign of her passion for music, both teaching and playing. Amy Gelb, music director and teacher for Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Intermediate Orchestra, Chamber strings, Musical Instrument Digital Interface and Instrumental Music, successfully hosted the SDUHSD Jazz Fest at TPHS for the third consecutive year last Friday.
“This is the third year we’ve hosted [the Jazz Fest] at Torrey Pines,” Gelb said. “It’s getting to be pretty easy, kind of routine. Just reaching out to all the other schools, choosing a date and then making sure that I gather all their information so I can make a program. Just getting the schedule down.”
Nine middle schools and high schools across the district participated, each presenting their own unique arrangements. Gelb’s digital program was comprehensive, aesthetically-pleasing and guided the reader beautifully through the night. Earl Warren Middle School kicked off the night at 6:30 p.m. with two pieces. It was the middle school’s first time participating in the Jazz Fest. Featuring two vocalists, their performance felt like floating on a happy cloud.
“This year, we have Earl Warren joining us and that’s the first time that they’ve ever joined the festival,” Gelb said. “They’re a really small music program so they’re having a jazz combo come for the first time. I’m really excited for those kids to experience that.”
A combined performance by Oak Crest Middle School and Diegueño Middle School followed. When they performed “Beachfront Bossa” by Bruce Peterson, the room was filled with energy; perpetuated by the steady drum and cymbal beat and a fantastic french horn solo, it was as though a soft breeze drifted through the PAC.
Between each set, TPHS music students helped quickly rest the stage.
“With the different schools, all the ensembles are different sizes so you have to consider where different instrumentation goes,” Lauren Suh (12), a flutist in Jazz Band, said. “Different instruments need microphones and you have to coordinate … our responsibilities are making sure everything is set up, all the chairs and microphones and stands.”
Carmel Valley Middle School took the stage next and impressed the audience with flute solos that had a drawn-out, lilting feeling. Their second song included a vocalist whose voice took one floating and drifting away, almost into a dream. This voice was complimented well by the gentle waves created by the rest of the band. Pacific Trails Middle School was the last of the middle schools to perform and they stood out with their gentle starts and stops; their pieces had an incongruent flow, accentuated by their saxophone and guitar solos.
Seeing the middle schools and high schools perform is one of Suh’s favorite parts of the Jazz Fest, which she has participated in for the past three years.
“I think it’s nice listening to everyone and hearing the differences between middle school and high school jazz bands,” Suh said. “I really like that.”
Following PTMS, Canyon Crest Academy’s jazz ensemble performed two songs. They had the smallest ensemble all night, with only six musicians on stage, but they did not disappoint. Each member of the band was very clearly passionate about their music and their impressive saxophone solos absolutely filled the space. Their second song felt like entering a mystical forest and the audience could tell how much the musicians were experimenting with sound and tone.
The Jazz Fest is truly a unique concert held by TPHS, as musicians from each of the schools in the district are exposed to one another.
“Most of our concerts are just confined to our schools and the different ensembles we have,” Cooper Yoo (12), a baritone saxophonist in the Jazz Band, said. “The Jazz Fest is a way to showcase across the entire district … it’s a good opportunity to see how other schools are doing it.”
La Costa Canyon’s jazz band stunned with their layered and complex pieces. Different instruments joined the story and each of their songs built on the last until it felt like one was soaring upwards. The rich, deep vocals of their singer captivated the audience.
San Dieguito Academy, also directed by Gelb, performed three lively pieces with fun, fast-paced piano solos. Their first song seemed to fit in with an action scene in a movie. Their second song entitled “Willow Weep for Me” was very fitting, as the song felt like a willow tree swaying and dancing with the wind. The lead vocalist also embodied this spirit as she swayed back and forth on stage while crooning out the lyrics.
At last, TPHS began their four-song set. To kick off the first song, Yoo performed a fantastic solo that gave the audience chills. As the rest of the musicians joined in, the song was a conglomeration of each instrument’s part. In particular, when the piano and bass were played at the same time, it was super fun to listen to.
“I think it’s really special to be able to have jazz bands from all across San Diego all come to our school and share music,” Suh said. “Everyone really appreciates the musicality, especially within jazz because everyone is so passionate about it. It’s like this really cool experience and I just really like that we can do it here. I think that makes it more special that we’re hosting.”
In their third song, there was a gorgeous electric violin solo by Jenny Ryu (11) that was clear, crisp and sweet as honey. Throughout the songs, Gelb was both conducting and playing the saxophone, a true feat. The last song played by TPHS was “Better Get Hit in Your Soul” by Charles Mingus, which was unanimously Gelb, Suh and Yoo’s favorite. Gelb described it as “organized chaos, really fun and lots of improvising.”
This proved to be the case as it was interspersed with flute playing that really did hit the audience in their souls and the song was broken up halfway through by a clapping pattern. Layered with a solo by Yoo, the rest of the band gradually began to play again creating that feeling of orderly chaos. The electric violin and the flute playing together was a highlight. As the song came to a close, the audience took a breath in their seats. The night was an intense, beautiful and vibrant performance you couldn’t help but tap your toe to — just like Gelb.