Jazz Students Bring Home Bicoastal Honors

The Music Department recently celebrated bicoastal musical honors by receiving top awards at the Reno Jazz Festival and at the Heritage Music Festival in Washington D.C.

On April 26, 65 members of the high school's jazz bands traveled to the University of Nevada for the Reno Jazz Festival, one of the country's leading jazz festivals since 1962. 

The three-day event attracted some 9,000 participants including the best school bands in the nation for competitions, concerts and workshops with professional artists.

The Calabasas students were honored with a plethora of individual and group awards with the Jazz "A" Band placing third in its division of 15 bands, the Jazz "B" Band winning fourth in its division of 15 bands, and the Jazz Combo taking fifth out of 18 combos. 

Individual awards for outstanding musicianship were received by Jazz "A" Band members Michael Aspinwall (piano), Michael Tsang (saxophone), Russell Muller and Ryan Chen (guitar). 

In the Jazz "B" Band, individual winners were Mauricio Guerrero (guitar), Jeremy Goldberg (saxophone), Kelsey Bergh (piano), and Jarrod Schnapper (vibes). 

Jazz Black Band individual winners were Rebecca Wilder (saxophone), Josh Gellerman (trumpet), Sean Poole (trumpet), Patrick Poole (trombone), and Ben Lewis (drums).  

Every member of the Jazz Combo received an individual award: Jeremy Goldberg (saxophone), James Martinez (saxophone), Russell Muller (guitar), Mauricio Guerrero (guitar), Chase Lancaster (drums and vibes), Elijah Martinez (drums and vibes), Nick Rosario (trombone), and Isaac Pariser (bass).

In March, the Calabasas High Music Department sent a large group of talented students to the Heritage Music Festival in Washington D.C.  where the wind ensemble, orchestra, and vivace choir and maestoso choir brought home 11 top awards.

Daniel Mogtaderi won outstanding soloist for his violin solo and Dillon Greene won outstanding soloist for his part on the bassoon.