Darien's 5th Annual Jazz Jamboree Jazz Festival

The 5th Annual Jazz Jamboree Jazz Festival took place at Darien High School on Friday, March 1st.  The festival featured 10 high school Jazz Ensembles from CT and NY performing their music for judges and each other. Participating Jazz Bands from King School, Fairfield Prep, Port Chester, Hamden, Norwalk, Wilton, Fairfield Warde, Westport Staples, Greenwich and Brien McMahon competed and received coaching from judges John Mastroianni and Earl MacDonald from the Jazz Department at the University of Connecticut. Greenwich High School placed first, Hamden High School placed second, and Staples High School placed third. The Gerry Mulligan Outstanding Musician Award was given to Greenwich High School pianist, Lucas Gazianis. The Darien High School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Jonathan Grauer, performed as exhibition only for the participating bands and judges.

Soloists Jack Armstrong and Doug Werner perform with the Darien HS Jazz Ensemble at the 5th Annual Darien Jazz Jamboree Festival on Friday, March 1st.

John Yoon, the director of the Greenwich Jazz Ensemble accepts the first place award from Darien HS Jazz Director Jonathan Grauer.

Greenwich pianist, Lucas Gazianis was awarded the festival's Gerry Mulligan Outstanding Musician Award. Pictured with Lucas L-R, Jonathan Grauer, and judges Earl MacDonald and John Mastroianni from UCONN.

DHS & MMS Band in Concert featuring Country Band "Gunsmoke"

County Band "Gunsmoke" will be the featured guests on the DHS Band Concert on Thursday, February 28th at 7:00 p.m. in the DHS Auditorium.

The Darien High School Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz and Ensemble will be joined by the MMS Grade 8 Band in concert on Thursday, February 28th at 7:00 p.m. in the DHS Auditorium.  The concert will be live-streamed at:

https://youtu.be/ldkAFGFc8_M

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Yale Cello Ensemble Performs at DHS

Yale's Rock Cello Ensemble, Low Strung, performed an inspiring concert for an audience of students, parents and community members at Darien High School on Thursday, February 7th. The concert was presented by the DHS Tri-M Music Honor Society. The president of our DHS Tri-M Music Honor Society is Elizabeth Garijo-Garde and the Tri-M advisor is Ms. Jane Minnis. The President Yale's Low Strung cello ensemble is Darien HS graduate, Chloe Zhou.

Jazz Groups present "Sweet Night of Jazz"

A "Sweet Night of Jazz" was presented on Wednesday, February 6th in the MMS cafeteria by the Darien High School Jazz Ensemble, the Middlesex Middle School Jazz Ensemble and the Grade 5-6 Jazz Lab. Attendees enjoyed tables full of cookies, pastries, desserts  and coffee as they enjoyed the sounds of our district's jazz students.

The 5-6 Jazz Lab performs jazz standards as each student has multiple opportunities to improvise. Our 5-6 Jazz Lab in directed by Mr. Colin Walters

The MMS Jazz Ensemble performing Duke Ellington's "Caravan" at the Sweet Night of Jazz. Our MMS Jazz Director is Mr. James Carter.

MMS Jazz Ensemble Brass perform for a full house as the MMS cafeteria is transformed into a jazz club.

The award winning DHS Jazz Ensemble turns in a great performance at the Sweet Night of Jazz and features multiple soloists. The DHS Jazz Ensemble is directed by Mr. Jonathan Grauer.

Middlesex Jazz Ensemble members look on as the DHS Jazz Ensemble performs at the 2019 Sweet Night of Jazz.

Beginning Instrumental Showcases Around the District

Ms. Jane Minnis presents the Royle School 3rd Grade Strings in their first public performance.

The Tokeneke 3rd  Grade strings perform several songs and exercises to demonstrate what they have learned to their parents on January 30th. Their teacher is Ms. Dawn Hanley.

Dylan Spielvogel,sString instructor at Ox Ridge School, has a student demonstrate the proper technique for holding the violin in their String Showcase on February 6th.

The 4th grade trumpet players at Holmes School perform their first concert for an audience on February 4th. The Holmes School Band director is Mrs. Krista DiPietro.