Carson Middle School’s Royal Blue Jazz Band, comprised of students in sixth through eighth grades, is competing Saturday at the 53rd annual Reno Jazz Festival at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Students in the Royal Blue Jazz Band meet at 7 a.m. weekdays before school. They will perform four songs for the event and will take the stage at 1:10 p.m. in the Continuing Education Building, CEB Room 110.
The group will also get the chance to watch other groups perform, attend clinics, and meet other musicians from around the country.
The Royal Blue Jazz Band began in 2013 as an after-school activity to introduce students to the history of jazz. That fall, they began meeting regularly at 7 a.m. and started performing at bigger events, including at the annual Mile High-Carson High Jazz Extravaganza.
“I am so proud of the opportunity to take a successful, talented, and dedicated group of students to the Reno Jazz Festival. It is the first time in recent memory that a Carson City area band has competed at this festival. The students have worked hard to put on a great performance and will be performing and competing with the best jazz bands in the country. Our principal, Dan Sadler, has been very generous in providing the time and resources necessary to help make this jazz band program the success it has become,” said Nick Jacques, Carson Middle School band director.
Jacques urges the community to help cheer on the band at its performance on Saturday.
For tickets and more information about the festival, go to http://www.unr.edu/rjf/.