NEWS

Prospect dominates jazz competition

February 14, 2011

Riley Mangan solos on saxophone during a Prospect Jazz practice. The Prospect Jazz Band recently competed at the North Shore Jazz Festival on Saturday, Jan. 22, hosted by Glenbrook South High School. The Band took most of the top placements out of the 80 schools that competed. (Photo by Ian Magnuson)

By Zak Buczinsky
Staff Writer

More than eighty Jazz bands invaded Glenbrook South High School on Saturday, Jan. 22. School authorities cleared out the entire school in order to make way for the North Shore Jazz Festival. Among the bands that performed, Prospect’s Jazz Ensemble cleaned the house, taking the most top placements out of the 80 schools in attendance.
“We dominated,” jazz director Patrick O’Connor said. The Prospect Jazz Ensemble II, and Prospect Combo both took first place, while Prospect Jazz Ensemble I just missed first, losing to Wheeling. Top solo awards were given to juniors Riley Mangan and Brian Greene and senior Robby Mack.
O’Connor said that Prospect’s performance was very impressive, but the competitions are never the same and that, considering the number of great bands at Glenbrook South, anything could have happened.
“It’s all subjective,” “O’Connor said, regarding that the competition all depends on what the judges like that day.
Arriving at 10 a.m., Prospect and the rest of the bands took over the entire school, using the gym, the cafeteria and the theater to accommodate the massive number of bands.
Sophomore bass player Sean Brennan said that the experience was really fun, but a little intimidating.
“I’m used to it, but it was a big school,” Brennan said.
Prospect spent the entire day at Glenbrook South, getting back to Prospect at 8 p.m., just in time for the winter ball.
“It was really fun because we won a lot,” Brennan said. “We were like… YEAH!”

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