DGN Jazz Musicians Swing Home with Awards and Recognition

Congratulations to the student musicians of the North High School Jazz Program for an outstanding showing at the 2020 Purdue Jazz Festival. The DGN Jazz Ensemble and DGN Jazz Lab Band performed and competed with more than 100 high school ensembles from five states across the Midwest. 

In addition to receiving a score from the panel of adjudicators, each group received real time formative feedback from each judge in an audio recording. This feedback is essential to the continuing growth of both individual students and the musicianship of each ensemble.  

The DGN Jazz Ensemble and DGN Jazz Lab Band both received Division I ratings from the panel of judges. This is the highest possible rating on the scoring rubric. The DGN Jazz Lab Band received the prestigious "Outstanding Performance" Citation in their competition room, finishing in second-place, just one point behind the first-place ensemble.

In addition to the terrific ensemble performances, 5 Outstanding Solo Awards were given by the panel of judges to DGN students for displaying outstanding musicianship:

Derek Ferraro (Trumpet)
Owen Nystrom (Bari Sax)
Jonathan Orjala (Trumpet)
Amy Spreitzer (Bass)
Miles Teague (Piano)

Bassist Amy Spreitzer was named the most outstanding soloist of the Stewart 302 competition venue, and with the recognition received a scholarship to the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.