Taking the stage for a special one-night-only local performance of their recent award-winning show from Chicago’s Heritage Festival in April, the San Marcos High School (SMHS) Jazz Ensemble presents a special fundraiser at the Lobero Theatre on Wednesday, May 29, at 7 p.m.
The event will help to cover outstanding costs of the trip for the ensemble, which is composed of 26 students in grades 9-12, many of whom only started playing their instruments or were first exposed to the genre at San Marcos. The group, led by SMHS Instrumental Music Director Michael Kiyoi, started planning for the 2020 trip back in 2017. Then, when the pandemic hit, the performances were all canceled, and it has taken this long to get these plans back in place.
“With COVID, it broke my heart to cancel the Chicago trip, and the dream seemed dead and lost,” stated Kiyoi. That dream was revived this year. “We travel a lot with the band, but only in Southern California and haven’t been out of the state since 2012. And it just so happens that we have one of the best jazz bands we’ve ever had in San Marcos history.”
San Marcos won the Dos Pueblos High School Jazz Festival for the first time in more than 10 years. They then traveled to Chicago, where the SMHS Jazz Ensemble received a GOLD rating and took first place. They also brought home several prestigious prizes, including the Spirit Award (the group that best represents the values of the company) and the Adjudicator Award, where the group must score above 92 (only SMHS and one other school won).
Several students also received individual awards: Senior Joshlin Santos (trumpet) received the Ovation Award, which honors one senior musician (every school nominates a student, but only one wins); and Soloist Awards were given to seniors Eliel Pozos (saxophone) and Lucas Carrara (trombone) (three soloists were awarded in total at the competition and San Marcos received two of the awards). In addition, the San Marcos Jazz Ensemble scored an average of more than 97, including a perfect 100 from one judge, which is exceedingly rare. “Our students crushed it — they absolutely crushed it!” said Kiyoi. “Their performance was incredible, and it brought tears to my eyes. I am so glad that we were able to partner with the Lobero so that our local community can experience this remarkable performance.”
The San Marcos High School Jazz Ensemble performs at the Lobero Theatre (33 E. Canon Perdido St.) on Wednesday, May 29, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20, with $16 of each ticket purchase (after expenses) to benefit San Marcos High School Instrumental Music Program, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Tickets are available at lobero.org/events/smhs-jazz-band, at the Lobero box office, or by calling (805) 963-0761.
