Sandpoint schools win at Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
(Photo courtesy UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO) Sandpoint High School Chamber Choir was named the AA Senior Area Mic winner at the University of Idaho Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival on Friday.
(Photo courtesy UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO) Sandpoint Middle School Choir was a Junior Vocal Ensemble winner at the University of Idaho Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival on Friday.
(Photo courtesy UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO) Jon Brownell, director of the Sandpoint High School and Sandpoint Middle School choirs, holds a trophy presented to Sandpoint High School after the school’s Chamber Choir won top honors at the University of Idaho’s 2020 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Both ensembles won honors and a lot of praise at the annual event.
Ensembles from Sandpoint Middle and High School were named winners on Feb. 28 at the University of Idaho’s 2020 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, with Sandpoint High School’s Chamber Choir winning top honors for the day.
The festival, in its 53rd year, features two days of student competitions, workshops and clinics on the University of Idaho campus. More than 3,600 students from 123 elementary, middle and high schools, as well as college and universities, are participating from around the region, including schools from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, Canada.
After a day of competition, the Sandpoint Middle School Select Choir was named a Junior Vocal Ensemble Winner and the Sandpoint High School Chamber Choir was name AA Senior Area Mic Winner. Both ensembles are directed by Jon Brownell.
As winning vocal ensembles, the choirs performed at the Young Artist’s Winners Concert this evening, competing against other winning schools to be named as the overall Junior Sweepstakes Winner and High School Vocal Sweepstakes Winner for the festival, respectively.
Out of 10 high school winners, Chamber Choir won top honors and was presented with a rotating trophy for the year and will receive a free entry to the 2021 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. The Eagle Staff Jazz 1 from Robert Eagle Staff Middle School in Seattle, Wash. won the Junior Sweepstakes prize.
“The student performances were a joy to listen to today,” said Josh Skinner, manager of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. “Every year the students raise the standard of performance, while at the same time inspire their peers, teachers and the jazz educators who are lucky enough to work with them throughout the week.”
Performances from the Young Artist’s Winners Concert will be available on the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival’s YouTube channel at the conclusion of the festival.