H.S. Jazz Fest Marks 44 Years

This March, Berklee’s High School Jazz Festival marked its 44th year and attracted more than 3,000 stu- dents comprising 200 bands and vocal ensembles from 13 states and Ontario, Canada. In addition to awarding $175,000 in scholarships to Berklee’s Five-Week Summer Performance Program, prestigious honors were given to a student and a band director for their achieve- ments. Frank Rein, a high-school student from Princeton, NJ, won the Herb Pomeroy Jazz Composition & Arranging Contest and Ferdinand Pasqua, the director of bands for New York’s Harrison Central School District, received the Take Note Award for innovation in contempo- rary music education.

Pasqua directs a program with 120 students performing in a marching band, wind ensemble, and two jazz groups. “We’re very fortunate to be in an area where people understand the importance of an arts education for every student no matter what their future endeavors may be,” Pasqua says. With support from parents and local businesses, Pasqua has offered his students professional-level perfor- mance opportunities. His ensembles played at the Miss America parade, a New York Giants football game, and at Yankee Stadium. The jazz band turned its spring concert into a gig at a local restaurant. “Authentic per- formance opportunities before a live audience teach students to be respon- sible and prepared,” Pasqua says.

Despite the size of his program, he offers his students personal atten- tion, “I try to work with them indi- vidually to assess their needs and talents,” he says. “At the end of the school year, I give them things to work on over the summer. I’ve also established a buddy system where band members contact incoming band members and tell them what to expect and about the importance of practicing.” Dedicated music teach- ers inspired Pasqua’s own musical journey. “My love for music and music education is due to many excellent teachers,” he says. “They cared and are my inspiration to act in the best interest of my students.”