SLHS Jazz Band, 2008/2009
Our
11th Annual Jazz Concert and Dessert Extravaganza
concert will take place at the Reston Community Center at
Hunters Woods on Friday evening,
tbd, at 7:30pm.
In addition to the swinging sounds of our
award-winning Seahawk Jazz Band and the Langston Hughes
Panther Jazz Band
, you will also be treated to delicious desserts from some
of our finest local restaurants.
The Jazz Hawks are an extra-curricular music group that
meets after school once a week from November through
June. This enthusiastic, dedicated group of young
musicians is keeping alive an original American art form
under the guidance of Director Grayson Fore. Over the past
several years, they have served as music ambassadors in the
Reston community, having performed at the Hunter’s Woods
Fellowship House, The American Cancer Society’s Relay for
Life, the 25th anniversary celebration for South Lakes High
School, as well as at numerous elementary schools and with
the Reston Area (Elementary) Honor Band.
The Jazz Hawks have been in existence in one form or
another since South Lakes opened in 1977. During
the late 1980’s and early 1990’s the group existed as a
jazz combo before ceasing to exist in 1995. During
many of those years the ensemble was a class during the
academic school day. The group was restarted in 1998
and was fostered into a big band in 1999. We have
been fortunate to have a full complement of musicians
(around 20 students in all) for the past five years.
The instrumentation varies from year to year, but the
standard is 5 saxes (2 altos, 2 tenors, 1 bari), 4
trombones, 5 trumpets with the lead doubled, 1 bass, 1
guitar, 1 piano, 1 drum set and 1 auxiliary
drummer. The 2004 Jazz Hawks were short on
trombones, so a few extra saxes compensated.
Our Jazz Hawks put in a great deal of time and hard work
for what is essentially an eighth, or for some, a ninth
class in their schedule. We appreciate all of their
hard work and greatly enjoy the spectacular
results!