Concealed in the wings, extra drumsticks and music stands were scattered on the tiled floor as performers lined up to go on stage. Behind the black curtain, the familiar spotlights and auditorium seats were in view — but this time, they were performing for an audience.

On Saturday, May 15, the jazz band had their first in-person concert since last year. Although the department has hosted various virtual concerts, including the 13th Annual Charles Mingus Virtual Concert, students from Zero Hour Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble 1 haven’t entered Meyer Hall with the intent to perform until now. 

“[Performing live] felt great because it’s been more than a year since I’ve been able to perform in [front of] a live audience,” band senior Adam Lord said. “Regaining that energy felt good, especially since some of the other people in the band and I, we’ve played together a lot and we knew some people in the audience that were adding energy to [the performance]. They were cheering and yelling and we reciprocated that energy. We missed that.”

To abide by social distancing guidelines, not all of the auditorium rows and seats were available to spectators. The concert was broken up into two parts: Zero Hour Jazz Band then Jazz Ensemble 1. When the Zero Hour Jazz Band finished their pieces, the seated audience left Meyer Hall, leaving a 15 minute break in between the groups. Then, the audience of the Jazz Ensemble 1 and Dreyfoos Jazz Quintet performances entered and took their seats. 

“My favorite thing about the concert was sitting in the audience with my friends, watching [Zero Hour Jazz Band],” band senior Jackson Spellman said. “Watching live music [with my friends], and having that experience was cool. Seeing the potential in the band gave me hope for the jazz program for years to come.”

In November 2020, Christopher De Leon came to campus as the new jazz director. Shortly after his arrival, jazz students began rehearsing and practicing pieces, unsure if there would be a live concert by the end of the year. 

“We did a lot of listening,” piano sophomore Joshua Lumaban said. “We had to make sure that we knew the chart and what it sounded like before starting to play. We had the music in front of us so we [could] go through it. … Then, [Mr. De Leon] started critiquing the details.” 

Mr. De Leon’s arrival and teaching methods have influenced students and how they practice and perform. To help with preparation, Mr. De Leon gave students playing assignments to help establish accountability for their parts of the pieces. 

“This year was definitely a change of pace, but we all got used to it,” band junior Josiah Evans said. “He’s pushed our band much farther than we ever thought we could have gone. We’re all grateful for it.” 

Throughout the pieces, performers stood up from their podiums and sheet music stands to the front of the stage for a solo. The brass of band freshman Sydnie Dorleus’ trumpet glimmered under the spotlights, and as she concluded her part of ‘Meetin’ Time’ by Count Basie, applause bellowed from the audience.

“It felt nerve racking since it was my first time, but it was fun because people in the audience were clapping,” Dorleus said. “[Jazz Ensemble 1] was watching us and I heard them clapping for me. It was supportive when they would clap.” 

In between the Jazz Ensemble 1 and Zero Hour Jazz Band performances, band senior Aidan Taylor played ‘Mt. Lidges’ which he composed as part of the Dreyfoos Jazz Quintet. Taylor swayed to the sounds coming from his bass while glancing at his peers. 

“The small group was fun because I got to play with my group which is the student-run ensemble,” Taylor said. “It was with my best friends of four years, and some even longer than that; we’ve been playing together for such a long time. It was collaborative because we were all working together as students and as musicians.” 

At the end of the concert, the performers gathered outside Meyer Hall to unite with their friends and families, many receiving bouquets and other tokens of support.  

“My favorite part about the event was after we were done performing and I went outside and a bunch of the parents and my family were out there,” band sophomore Jordan Aboderin said. “When I came out, I got a standing ovation and everybody started clapping for me.” 

While this was the seniors’ last jazz concert, many performers found solace in knowing they were able to perform on stage for a final time. 

“I felt fortunate to have had a jazz concert at all this year because last year, the seniors didn’t have the same opportunity,” Spellman said. “I’m thankful for the way things have worked out so that we’ve been able to perform for an audience again and have a semi-normal end-of-year experience.”

As Mr. De Leon motioned his hands, the music dimmed and the audience rose to their feet, applauding. A sense of normalcy was regained this night amongst jazz students. 

“Honestly, it was emotional,” Aboderin said. “I thank God because to have that experience again, it was breathtaking. This year has been hard for everybody and the power of music has helped a lot of people get through the year. I know it’s helped me. I was happy because I’ve been preparing for this for a long time and I’ve been waiting to get back on the stage under the right conditions.”