By Spencer Sterritt

2 Nanaimo jazz bands triumph on international stage

Feb 27, 2017 | 4:44 PM

NANAIMO — After yearly appearances at a prestigious jazz festival in Idaho, musicians from Wellington Secondary School returned home winners.

The Senior Jazz Band and Grade 9 Combo 1, led by music teacher Carmella Luvisotto, won their categories at the Lionel Hamtpon Jazz Festival over the Feb. 23 weekend.

Luvisotto said it was an inspirational win for her students, especially since jazz bands in the United States start practicing much earlier than Canadian schools.

“To have our group compete and win their category, it’s pretty spectacular.”

This was the first appearance for the Grade 9 students. “They were overwhelmed they actually won…in fact some of them were speechless,” Luvisotto said. “It was quite amazing and inspiring as a teacher to see your students come to that point in their musical travels.”

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She said this win will energize her students and inspire them to focus on jazz as much as possible.

After four years, it was a relief for the senior students to win. “They’ve been working so hard together for four years as a group, and to win their category I think that was just the icing on the cake.”

She said both groups played as great as she’s seen and heard all year and understanding the gravitas of the festival helped them win.

The jazz bands will play various events around Nanaimo for the rest of the school year and the Senior Band will play Canadian Nationals at Niagara Falls in May.

Spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterritt