The Student News Site of Neshaminy High School

The Playwickian

The Student News Site of Neshaminy High School

The Playwickian

The Student News Site of Neshaminy High School

The Playwickian

All about that jazz: Neshaminy music prepares for upcoming jazz season

By Kristen Magas
Staff Writer

Every year, around this time, Dan Weiner Jazz Band director, and Donna Burmylo-Magrann Jazz Ensemble director, sit patiently at a table in Neshaminy’s orchestra room. They listen to each aspiring jazz member, one by one, play the part assigned to their respective instrument. The campaign to urge new faces to audition for Neshaminy’s wonderful jazz program has already been repeated various times on the morning announcements.

Jazz is a genre of music originating in the U.S. in the late eighteen hundreds. Jazz music remains very popular, especially in New Orleans: a place the jazz students had the opportunity to take a trip to last year.

However, this year Burmylo-Magrann won’t be directing the Jazz Ensemble, but she’ll be working very closely with Pat Cassidy, Neshaminy alumni, who will be taking over for the year. Senior and three year member, Drew Luniewski reacts positively to the unexpected change, “I think it’s a great opportunity for the students to get a fresh insight on jazz” he said.

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“We have three hour rehearsals twice a week. When competitions begin, they are added onto the schedule on Fridays and Saturdays.” John Bilcik states in regard to the busyness of jazz season “It is not a program to be taken lightly.”

Through a rigorous schedule that may test one’s sanity, there is obviously a reason that the jazz members stay in the program. The members become a close-knit group of not only musicians, but friends. The members gain a sense of pride winning caption and solo awards at competitions, learning about a different type of music they may not typically be exposed to, and working ridiculously hard, but above all, they have fun.

Hard-working musicians who are interested are encouraged to audition this upcoming November; senior and Jazz Ensemble manager, Samantha Mamie stated, “Auditions may be scary, but the only way to be a part of such an amazing program is to prove you deserve the chance.”

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All about that jazz: Neshaminy music prepares for upcoming jazz season