The Tucson Jazz Institute returned from New York on Tuesday with a fistful of national awards from the 2010 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival.
In addition to the best community band award, several TJI soloists were honored: Grant Cherry took outstanding pianist; Cody Rowlands snagged outstanding trumpet, and Max Goldschmid was honored for multi-instruments, saxophone and clarinet, according to the institute's founder Doug Tidaback.
Goldschmid, a 15-year-old Catalina Foothills High School sophomore, said he was surprised by the award. He has been studying music since he was 6 and is proficient on piano, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone. He also is a budding composer, whose jazz-inspired orchestral piece will be performed in readings this weekend with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra (Story, Page C3).
The Essentially Ellington competition last weekend featured about 300 high schoolers from around the nation competing and performing at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center.
The Tucson Jazz Institute is hosting a welcome-home/end-of-year concert Sunday afternoon with about 200 of its musicians.
"It's really going to be a marathon," Tidaback said.
The concert also will introduce the newest student ensemble, the Tucson Symphonic Winds, which focuses on classical music.
Sunday's performance will feature a guest appearance by nationally touring trumpet player Jason Carder. It begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Berger Center for the Performing Arts, 1200 W. Speedway. Admission is $20, $15 for students and seniors.
TJI is finishing its first year since it was created through a merger of the Arizona Jazz Academy and the Tucson Jazz Society's JazzWerks.
