Preparation takes place for Fresno City Jazz Festival

The loud bang of drums and the riff of guitars attract nearby students. Instrumental classes like jazz band, band and percussion help students learn more about technique and music.

In band, students get to learn how to play jazz or orchestra instruments. In both classes they practice and learn songs for special events.

Last semester, both teams learned more than 20 pep songs and performed at all the home football games. Since football season starts at the beginning of the school year, students had to memorize songs with a short amount of time.

The jazz team also participated in several community marches around Fresno. They performed in the Fresno Veterans Day parade, Christmas parade sequence and Clovis Electric Lights Parade.  

Band teacher Lesley Bannister, who oversees both the jazz and normal band classes, will concentrate on a different type of music compared to first semester. The team will also perform at different events this semester including one in Anaheim.

“This semester, we are focusing on jazz music,” Bannister said. “We have selected three pieces to perform at both the Fresno City Jazz Festival in march and the Heritage Festival down in Anaheim in April. This is a great opportunity for our students to get to travel and compete against other jazz bands. The students are working hard on learning jazz techniques and music theory, and are doing a fantastic job.”

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There are many new members in this year’s band team. However, one particular student Max Hinton, ‘22, has been playing since junior elementary school, he hopes to continue.

“I have been playing the saxophone for two and a half years,” Hinton said. “I joined band because I like the songs and the music environment. I hope to get experienced with the saxophone to my maximum ability.”

Like all teams, the more participants the better the product. This year the jazz team has been operating with only two members, Trevor Trevino, ‘17, and Janae Shew, ‘20. Trevino shares what it’s like to be a part of jazz band.

“I joined jazz band because I like to be challenged with different types of music,” Trevino said. “I love playing with other people who have a passion to play music. With only two people in Jazz band, I feel like it’s kinda of hard to connect with the music. Its also hard to play in concerts and festivals because of the lack of instrumentation. However, I do like how I get more one on one time with the teacher.”

Students can learn more than just how to play their instrument in these classes, they also learn how to worship God through them. Bannister hope students get closer to God after each class.

“We are learning to work together to worship the Lord through our art,” Bannister continued. “As a band, we reflect the body of Christ. Just as each part of our body serves an important purpose, each person has been given a unique gift that God is using for his design within the group. It is my hope that students are having fun learning great music, but they are also learning how to worship and glorify God with their instruments.”

Jazz band and orchestra band takes place every second period in the music room. They will perform in the upcoming Fresno City Jazz Festival in March.

For more features read, Redemption: Friendship.

This author can be reached via twitter @johnmonke.