Area bands perform with pros at Jazz Fest
Clinicians Jeff Jarvis, Patrick Pfeiffer work with area teens; new piece commissioned for Northlanders jazz ensemble

By Nakita Podhradsky

Mirror Staff Writer
March 7, 2008

Last Monday and Tuesday, around 1,000 middle and high school students representing 43 schools from four states gathered at Augustana to carry on a 34-year-old tradition of jazz.

The Jazz on the Upper Great Plains Festival offered students a chance to perform for and receive feedback from leading jazz musicians, as well as hear Augustana’s Northlander’s Jazz Band.

“It’s great having high schoolers hear what they can accomplish by continuing to play in college,” junior music education major and Northlander’s Jazz Band member Christine Anderson said.

“It really seems like students and directors leave refreshed and inspired to continue to create jazz music in their own ensembles and communities,” former festival co-chair and lead alto saxophonist for Northlander’s Jazz Band senior Nathan Sletten said.

Guest musicians and clinicians Patrick Pfeiffer and Jeff Jarvis provided feedback for the bands and joined the Northlanders in their performance.

Pfeiffer is a professional electric bass player, teacher and author. His books include: Bass Guitar for Dummies and Improve Your Groove—The Ultimate Guide for Bass. Jarvis is a composer and professional trumpeter. The Northlander’s Jazz Band commissioned his piece entitled “Off the Hook” for the event.

“Patrick and Jeff are well-respected in their areas,” Sletten said. “It makes me proud to know that I was part of a world premiere of a musical work.”

The Northlander’s Jazz Band is under the direction of music professor Paul Schilf, who is currently serving his seventh year as associate director of bands and conducts the College-Community Band and Augustana Brass Choir.

Sletten commends Augustana’s music program and its faculty.

“Our music department is full of inspiring, intelligent and top-notch faculty members who provide those unique experiences for those students,” he said.

“Music at Augustana is one of the most special programs on campus,” Anderson said. “The relationships you form and connections you make by doing things such as this festival will be invaluable all through life.”