The months spent practicing for district MPAs resulted in an excellent rating for jazz band when its members performed Thursday afternoon for a board of three judges.

“They played very well,” band teacher Carol Allen said. “They made me proud once again. I had done everything in my power to get them up to a superior level, and I thought they could do it. I still think it was worth a superior, in my opinion.”

Despite the fact that an excellent is just one ranking under the top score, a superior, the judges were especially tough this year, according to Allen. Last year, jazz band received two superiors and one excellent ranking.

“We played better than we did last year and we ended up with a worse score,” senior Alex Ludeman said. “I’m not sure what kind of logic was used, but we can’t change it. We still played well.”

The judges left comments that many of the band members agreed with, such as a rushed tempo in some of the songs. One judge, however, left a bitter taste in the mouths of the musicians.

“He said our soloists weren’t creative,” junior Alex Colón said. “Sure, as if D.K. Issitt and Jack Goffinet are the least musical people on the planet.”

His comment was filled with sarcasm, of course. Both Goffinet and Issitt are in the All-State band and are especially loved in jazz band for their musical abilities. Riley Audet and Ludeman also played solos in the three tunes performed.

“I’m taking what they said about the soloists with a grain of salt,” Ludeman said. “We weren’t perfect, but I don’t think our lack of creativity was a problem.”

All negative feelings set aside, jazz band members are happy they are free from the weight of preparing for districts. They can now turn their focus to homework, playing at more shows, and of course, sleeping in the practice rooms during jazz band.

By Nathaniel Curtis