Our 3 Jazz Ensembles and 2 of our combos participated in the Folsom Jazz Festival over the weekend, along with 140 groups from schools throughout Northern and Central California. The showing from the Rio groups was very strong, and the adjudicators awarded many individual and collective accolades to our kids. Here’s a breakdown:
AM Jazz Ensemble- Chosen as Sweepstakes Winner: the top band at the entire festival!
Solo/Musicianship awards were given to: Grayson Cliff, Arthur Eriksson, Grady Flamm, Sam Flores, Carson Grimes, Toby Keys, Dale McMorris and Jake Nalangan
One of the other bands in the finals along with AM was Maria Carillo HS, directed by Rio Band alum Matt Bringedahl.
PM Jazz Ensemble- 2nd place in their division
Solo/musicianship awards: Ben Hansen, Jack Harris, Dylan West, Elie Wu
FM Jazz Ensemble- Solo/musicianship awards: Isaac Goodman, Molly Knepshield, Jackson McMorris, Jonah Prichard and Kesav Sreedharan
Combo 1 (Mingus)- 3rd place in their division
Solo/musicianship awards: Grayson Cliff, Grady Flamm, Carson Grimes and Jackson Irvine
Combo 2 (PM Trio)- 1st place in their division, and the highest score of all combos at the festival.
Solo/musicianship awards: All three of them! Antonio Lopes, Dylan West, Elie Wu
Also- Rio’s Michael Gilbert was awarded a summer jazz camp scholarship for his outstanding bass playing!
Congratulations to all our Band Students!