Cheney jazz band makes big time
Students win first place, play festival stage
A trip to the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho netted the Cheney High School jazz band first place and a new set of cymbals.
“They have so much drive and heart,” said Mike Suhling, band director.
The festival was part of a long day for the students, who left Cheney around 8 a.m. for Moscow on Feb. 28. They didn’t get home until around 11 p.m.
After they found out they came in first in the AA Division, they immediately had to perform at the Kibbie Dome in front of a large audience.
“It was petrifying,” said Kelsey Schultz, a senior who plays alto saxophone. “Well, I’m afraid of microphones.” She said organizers put a microphone in the horn of her instrument while she played.
“(It was) scary to go on the big stage and play for that many people,” said Lauren McKinley, a sophomore piano player.
The band played “Tri-Bop,” by Bill Lister, “Chronometry” and “Hymn for Her” by Fred Sturm at the event. The students said they’ve been working on “Hymn” for a while, “Chronometry” for about a month and even less time for “Tri-Bop.” It was especially rewarding for the seniors in the band. The first year with Suhling (who has been the band director for three years), the band just played for the critique at the festival. Last year, the band received an honorable mention.
“It was very emotional, I think,” said Joe Youmans, a senior who plays trumpet.
“For them, this was good,” Suhling said about his seniors. “I don’t think there’s a group of kids that would be more deserving.”
The 18 students will also compete at the Mount Hood Jazz Festival in May, followed by the Columbia Basin College Festival in the Tri-Cities. They will also have a jazz dessert May 2 that will include live and silent auctions and performances by the high school and the middle school jazz bands.
The band also brought home a new set of Sabian cymbals for its win at Lionel Hampton.
“The ones that we won are really shiny,” McKinley said. The students will use the cymbals on their drum kit at the high school.