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- Members of Jazz 1 perform at the 2011 Essentially Ellington Festival in New York City.
Jazz 1, under the direction of Darin Faul, has once again been selected to participate in the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival in New York City.
Essentially Ellington is sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center and is considered the premier festival for high school bands in North America. This year the finals take place May 4-6.
Of particular note is the fact that Jazz 1 competed last year and finished third overall. The festival limits the number of bands that can return in back-to-back years to just five, making the competition even more difficult. This is the first time that Mountlake Terrace has been selected two years in a row, but Jazz 1 is no stranger to the festival having competed in 2000, 2002 (earning 4th place), 2005 (3rd place), 2008 and 2011 (3rd place).
Also from the Seattle area selected this year are Roosevelt High School and Ballard High School. Roosevelt is a perennial participant and has placed consistently in the top three bands, while Ballard is making its first appearance ever.
For more on the Essentially Ellington festival, click HERE.
For more about Jazz 1, click HERE.
