At the Maine High School Instrumental Jazz Festival, which was held this past weekend at South Portland High School, the host musicians took home numerous awards, including first-place finishes in the jazz band and jazz combo categories for Division I.

The two-day festival of music and competition brought students from all across the state to South Portland. Professional jazz musicians and educators judged the event, which included three divisions.

South Portland High had three jazz combos and two jazz ensembles entered into the competition. All five bands were under the direction of Craig Skeffington.

On Friday, March 13, the first day of performances, South Portland Combos A, B and C all took home first-place honors. In addition, several students received outstanding musicianship awards – senior Alex Quinn on trumpet, sophomore Owen Doane on trombone, and sophomore Julia Stanton on bass, all from Combo A. Sophomore Ellen Stanton, on alto sax, who plays in Combo C also received a musicianship award, as did Hannah Yesse, from Jazz Band II.

Also on Friday South Portland’s Jazz Band II placed third in the Multi Jazz Band category, with freshman tenor saxophonist Hannah Yesse receiving an outstanding musicianship award.

The second day of the festival, held on Saturday, March 14, featured the South Portland Jazz Ensemble, which received a gold award for its performance. Three students in the ensemble also received musicianship awards – Quinn, Cole Lemelin, on tenor sax, and Doane.

The jazz ensemble was one of two bands chosen for the evening showcase, which also included perennial rival Westbrook High School.

The South Portland jazz ensemble captured the audience’s attention with an entertaining rendition of “Mueva Los Huesos,” by Gordon Goodwin; “Happy Days are Here Again,” arranged by Mark Taylor and played as a ballad, and the crowd pleasing “Boom Boom,” by Bob Brookmeyer.

At the end of the night, the judges awarded the top spot to the band from South Portland.

– Kate Irish Collins

The jazz combo band at South Portland High School took first place at the instrumental jazz state finals.The jazz band at South Portland High School took first place at the instrumental jazz state finals held at the school this past weekend.Courtesy photos