HOULTON — Regional School Unit 29 Music Department and Houlton Music Boosters recently held the 2013 Maine State High School Instrumental Jazz Festival at Houlton High School. Sixty-two ensembles, made up of 781 musicians competed for 80 individual and group awards. Ten different adjudicators were involved in the process of evaluating high school jazz combos and jazz bands.

Individual Outstanding Musicianship Awards, placement trophies and gold plaques for superior ratings were awarded to various students and ensembles by Maine Music Educator Jazz Vice President Kris Vigue. The following is a list of area award winners:

Division I Combos — Outstanding Musicianship Awards: Katie Osman, drums, Nokomis High School.

Placement Awards: Nokomis Regional High School “Abyssinian” combo, third place

Division III Combos — Outstanding Musicianship Awards: Walter Heuter, piano, Maine Central Institute.

Placement Awards: Maine Central Institute “Yield,” second place.

Multi Jazz Band — Outstanding Musicianship Awards: Sara Packard, piano, Nokomis.

Division II Jazz Band — Outstanding Musicianship Awards: Lindsay Mower, alto, Nokomis.

Gold Awards — Placement Awards: Nokomis Regional High School, third place.

Division IV Jazz Band — Outstanding Musicianship Awards: Earth Vorachattarn, drums/guitar, Maine Central Institute.

Placement Awards: Maine Central Institute, second place.

Houlton High School will be the site of next year’s High School State Instrumental Jazz Festival to be held March 14-15, 2014.

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