CTJ Jazz Excels At Kingsville Festival
The Claudia Taylor Johnson
Jazz Band 1 placed second overall in the 6A division at the 51st Texas A&M Kingsville Jazz Festival — the band’s best finish ever in the event and earning a Superior Rating for its performance. Sophomore saxophone Juan San Miguel was named the Overall Outstanding High School Musician at the two-day festival. In addition, Miguel joined
Will Donoghue (trumpet, grade 11), Eli Canales (trombone, grade 10), and
Isaac LaVigne (drums, grade 11) in being recognized as “All Star
Musicians” — superior players among all jazz groups performing during the event.
Taft Jazz Festival: Jazz Band 2 had five of its members make the “All Star Jazz Band” following performances on April 7 —
Noah Johnson, alto saxophone; Alejandro San Miguel, tenor saxophone; Preston Payne, tenor trombone; Eli Canales, tenor trombone; and Dylan Davidson, bass trombone.
Fredericksburg Jazz Festival:
Congratulations to our Jazz Band members on their fantastic performance
on April 21 at the Fredericksburg Jazz Festival, placing first overall in the 6A division. The band took home awards for Outstanding Saxophone and
Trumpet sections for the day, as well as Eli Canales (10th grade
Trombone) and Juan San Miguel (10th grade Saxophone) taking home soloist
awards.
CTJ Wins WGI Southwest Regional
The Claudia Taylor Johnson Winter Guard capped a fantastic 2018 season with its show, “Lady Bird,” winning the Scholastic World Class at the WGI Southwest Power Regional in Denton on March 18. As in the previous day’s preliminary competition, CTJ recorded its best score of the season, 79.250, in finals performance to win its second WGI regional championship of 2018. James Bowie finished second (78.350), followed by Marcus (74.000) and The Woodlands (72.500) in the two-day competition at The Coliseum at the University of North Texas.
CTJ previously won the WGI San Antonio Regional in early February and was silver medalist at the WGI Austin Regional. “Lady Bird” pays tribute to the life of the former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, and her love of
wildflowers: “Where wildflowers bloom, there is hope.…” View the season schedule, results.
17 CTJ Soloists, 7 Ensembles Advance
Claudia Taylor Johnson had 17 soloists and seven
ensembles — a total of 54 band members — advance to the state level of competition after earning
Superior/1 ratings at the UIL District Solo & Ensemble competition
held February 24 at James Madison High School.
In all, a total of 69 CTJ
soloists and eight ensembles earned Superior/1 ratings.
The UIL State Solo &
Ensemble competition will be held May 26-28 at the University of Texas
at Austin’s Butler School of Music.
View the complete list.
UPCOMING THIS WEEK
MONDAY
Wind Ensemble Rehearsal, CTJ Band Hall, 4:45 p.m.
TUESDAY
Jazz Band 3 Rehearsal, Small Band Hall, 7 a.m.
Wind Ensemble Sectional, Bb Clarinets, 7:15 a.m.
Wind Ensemble Sectional, Brass, 8:15 a.m.
Wind Ensemble Sectional, Bb Clarinets, 4:15 p.m.
Jazz Band 1 Rehearsal, CTJ Band Hall, 4:15 p.m.
2018-19 Front Ensemble Auditions, 5 p.m.
2018-19 Batterie Percussion Auditions, 6 p.m.
Incoming Freshmen Parents Meeting, CTJ Band Hall, 6:30 p.m.
CTJBPA April Parent Meeting, CTJ Band Hall, 7:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Wind Ensemble Sectional, Bb Clarinets, 7:15 a.m.
Symphony Band Sectional, Percussion, 7:30 a.m.
Wind Ensemble Rehearsal, 4:45 p.m.
THURSDAY
Jazz Band 2 Rehearsal, 7:15 a.m.
Jazz Band 1 Rehearsal, 9:45 a.m.
CTJ Places 6 On TMEA All-State Band
Six Claudia Taylor Johnson band members earned positions in the TMEA 6A All-State Band following weekend auditions at Akins High School in Austin. Sophomore tenor trombone Eli Canales earned his second all-state band honor, placing first in the room during auditions. Others advancing to state include: Senior tuba Owen Bjornson, freshman euphonium Tommy Brennan, junior English horn Ian Compton (who placed second in the state), senior bass clarinet Braeden Laird, and junior percussionist Isaac LaVigne. Johnson also had four more band members named as first alternates for positions. They are: Junior alto clarinet Emily Edgar, senior piccolo Grace Gillock, senior Eb clarinet Rika Hagino, and junior tenor saxophone Parker Payne.
Since the school’s opening in 2008, Claudia Taylor Johnson has had 32 different individual members earn places in the TMEA All-State Band, gathering a total of 49 seats over that period.
You can read a history of CTJ all-state band members here.
