Spirit Lake, Iowa — The Sheldon High School Jazz Band will be one of ten high school jazz bands participating in the Iowa High School Music Association Jazz Band Festival Monday, January 25th at the Sami Bedell Center for the Performing Arts at Spirit Lake High School.
The Bedell Center is home to #17 of 30 Yamaha limited-edition red concert grand pianos signed by music legend Elton John, and Sheldon High School Band Director Cliff St. Clair says one of the cool parts of the event is that each band will use that piano in their performances.
This will be the second year in a row that Spirit Lake has hosted the Iowa High School Jazz Band Festival. We asked St. Clair if he knew why it was being held in the same location again this year.
The thirteen Orab students who comprise the Sheldon High School Jazz Band will take to the stage at 5:40 Monday afternoon. St. Clair gives us a preview of what they’ll be playing for the festival.
He says that the Iowa High School Jazz Band Festival is no longer just a contest, but includes a clinic to help the young musicians improve their craft.
In addition to Sheldon, jazz bands from Harris-Lake Park, Boyden-Hull, Rock Valley, Sibley-Ocheyedan, West Lyon, Okoboji, Estherville- Lincoln Central, Spencer and Spirit Lake will also be performing, and evaluated.
For a complete schedule for Monday’s Iowa High School Music Association Jazz Band Festival, click here.
