By CC ’22
There are so, so many opportunities for instrumentalists at Harvard-Westlake, but I’m going to spotlight the Jazz program, since that’s where I personally have found a home in my time at HW.
I started playing the saxophone before I came to HW, so I joined the concert music program in 7th and 8th grade. It was so much fun to be a part of, but I’ve always gravitated toward jazz music and joining the jazz band was always a goal. I was so fortunate to get accepted into the middle school band in 9th grade, and this is my 3rd year participating in the program!
Harvard-Westlake has 4 jazz bands in total: 1 at the middle school and 3 at the upper school. At the upper school, each band gets progressively more advanced, and the 3 are called Jazz Ensemble, Studio Jazz Band, and Jazz Band in ascending order. Jazz Band is the most advanced jazz band on campus. These ensembles have typical jazz band structures with a horn section (saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and sometimes some exceptions) and a rhythm section (piano, bass, guitar, drums). They’re audition-based, and experience in jazz isn’t required but it certainly helps. I’d also like to note that there are 2 groups outside the main jazz bands exclusively for rhythm section instrumentalists: one at the middle school and one at the upper school.
In class, we learn songs and prepare them for performances, but we also learn about technique, song structure, and overall fundamentals of jazz music and performance. Typically, there are two main school performances a year, but sometimes bands do performances abroad or even compete! It’s a super valuable, interesting, and well-loved program. I think that’s reflected in the fact that, since interest is so high, there are not 1, not 2, but 3 separate jazz bands at the upper school!
Each band has small groups, called “combos” as well. Combos are audition-based, and they’re mostly student-led, but there are combo coaches–professional musicians who guide the combos in theory, song arrangement, and improving performance quality. The middle school band and top upper school band, the Jazz Band, both have 2 established combos called the Blue Note Combo and Explorers Combo. In Downbeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards, the middle school Explorers Combo was named Best Junior High School Small Jazz Combo in 2020, and the upper school Explorers Combo was named Best High School Small Jazz Combo in 2019. The other bands also have combos, but these aren’t as established and have student-chosen names. I’m proud to say I’ve been in a combo both in Jazz Ensemble as a sophomore and currently in Studio Jazz Band as a junior. They’re a TON of fun to be a part of, and I’m so grateful that HW provides this unique opportunity!
Some of my favorite memories at HW have happened thanks to the Jazz Program. For instance, when I was in 9th grade, the middle school Jazz Band, along with other musical groups, competed in a Worldstrides Competition in Anaheim, CA. Having that competitive opportunity to show our stuff, compete with other schools, and vie for awards (and win some!) was so valuable, and getting to go to Disneyland after was definitely an added bonus! The upper school jazz bands have travelled to perform in many different places overseas such as Japan and Argentina!
Obviously, the arts have been uniquely hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. However, in my experience thus far, I’m still getting a lot out of online jazz band! My combo has been working on songs and rehearsing them individually in hopes that one day we’ll play in person. In the main band, we’ve really been able to focus on music theory and technique since we can’t learn songs together. The jazz program has really adapted well to the pandemic and remote learning!
All in all, the jazz program at Harvard Westlake is an accomplished, talented group of student musicians who come together, make great music, and have a ton of fun. Jazz band is a really well-loved institution here, and I wouldn’t trade my experience in it for anything!
