With a history of winning 36 out of the 37 league title competitions, West Linn High School’s jazz band enters multiple competitions throughout the school year.
Typically in November, the jazz bands compete for the Three Rivers League Title. In December or January, they play in jazz festivals put on by Clark College or the University of Oregon. Multiple competitions take place throughout the spring as well, such as the state competition and Mt. Hood Jazz Festival.
At the competitions, judges listen to different bands perform and rate their performances based on a rubric. Bands are scored by stylistic choices, appropriateness, the sound and musicality of the ensemble, the rhythm section, soloists, and more.
Jazz Band is an early period class that takes place from 7:30a.m. to 8:24a.m. every Monday to Thursday. Jazz Band is a traditional instrumentation of five saxophones, five trombones, five trumpets, and a full rhythm section.
Kevin Egan and Mark Pipes are the two current music educators that teach the jazz bands at the school. There are two different bands: Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab, for the variation in skill levels of players.
“The expectations are really high, both for individual players and for me as a teacher, getting them prepared and moving forward,” Egan said.
Musicians interested in joining the jazz band were given music to practice over the weekend before auditions. This gave students time to prepare for their placements and understand what to expect from Egan and Pipes. The following week, different sections of the band were asked to come in before school and play their pieces.
“If you’re breathing and you want to play jazz, we’re going to find a spot for you,” Egan said. “So anyone who shows up, we put into a band.”
Egan keeps a consistent goal every year for the jazz ensembles.
“I want to play really good music at a really high level, and have a lot of fun doing it,” Egan said. “If we do that, then all the festivals and competitions and everything else will take care of themselves.”
