Arts Feb 2019

The RHS Jazz Band conducts our auditions around the end of our Marching Band season in November. From that point forward, we begin a tumultuous process in which we are required to read numerous charts and prepare for concerts and competitions on a weekly basis. Working tirelessly from February through April, we perform across Southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Friday nights. We are fortunate enough to have a number of talented underclassmen in the ensemble. Subsequently, as the seniors get closer and closer to graduation, I have a soothing sense of relief knowing that we have many talented individuals to fill our shoes after we graduate.

In essence, the Jazz Ensemble is a fast-paced experience from the very first rehearsal. We begin sight-reading immediately, rarely spending more than a day per chart in the beginning. As we near concert and competition season, we focus in. The benefit of sight-reading as much as we do, however, is that by the time we need a setlist, we have many charts at our disposal, and our reading skill in general has improved tremendously. Essentially, we practice at a torrid pace, and once we get into a rhythm, our independent transfer skills and adaptability propel our performances to new heights.

The Jazz Band also has the same travel opportunities as the Marching Band, such as playing in Rome in 2015 and Washington D.C. in 2017. The Jazz Band will also have a performance on the Band’s 2019 trip to Rome at the end of this year to play in the NYE parade. We would also like to personally invite you to see us perform locally... we will perform on the front field of the High School on May 18th.

By Joseph LeBert, Senior