JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Castle High School has three exciting Jazz Ensembles: the extracurricular Tuesday and Thursday Jazz Ensembles, and our premier, curricular jazz ensemble - the 12 O’Clock Jazz Ensemble.
The 12 O’Clock Jazz Ensemble is an auditioned groups that has typical Big Band Instrumentation of five saxes, five trombones, five trumpets and piano, guitar, bass, auxiliary percussion, and set.
Thursday Jazz and Tuesday Jazz are require an ensemble placement audition, with Thursday Jazz having standard instrumentation and Tuesday Jazz being open to all instrument types.
Tuesday Jazz and Thursday Jazz meet after one day a week starting after the marching season.
All Jazz Studies students must be enrolled in one of our band classes.
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12 O’Clock Jazz Ensemble is our premier ensemble that meets during the school day. These students get band twice a day! This group studies and performs music of the forties up to cutting edge selections from today’s modern day jazz ensembles like Gordon Goodwin, Tom Kubis, Elliott Deutsch, Doc Severinsen, Don Menza, Airmen of Note, Matt Catingub, Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson to name a few. This group performs the very top arrangements that display advanced technique and knowledge of the styles as well as a good working ability in improvisation.
This group has won many top band awards at Jazz Festival and has been the feature band at the night show of these festivals. In addition, our students in 12 O’Clock have received numerous solo awards and scholarships as a result of their performance. Our sections also have been named top section of the day at Jazz Fests. This Jazz Ensemble is the only band in the state that has been a Jazz Finalist in our ISSMA State Jazz Ensemble Finals since it began.
The 12 O’ Clock Jazz ensemble has been named State Honor Band three times, which is tied for the most number of times in the state. They have also received prestigious performance opportunities in the region and nation.
Auditions for this group happen typically in April or May. -
Tuesday Jazz Ensemble, which starts after marching band season, meets one day a week and generally performs music from the Group II or II ISSMA list. This group performs music that mixes styles and will feature individual performers or sections. Students will get to perform music from today’s top arrangers.
Auditions for this group are usually in November. -
Thursday Jazz Ensemble, which starts after marching band season, meets one day a week and generally performs music from the Group I ISSMA list. This group performs music that mixes styles and will feature individual performers or sections. Students will get to perform music from today’s top arrangers.
Auditions for this group are usually in November.
Our ensembles study all the facets of the jazz idiom including style, history, the jazz language, jazz theory and jazz improvisation. Our groups all perform not only locally, but in other jazz settings including traveling to University and state sponsored Jazz Festivals. At our state ISSMA Jazz Festivals, our groups have always achieved a Gold Rating, often Gold with Distinction, and many, many solo awards. In 2023, the 12 O’ Clock Jazz ensemble receive the prestigious honor of performing at the President’s Ball as part of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade festivities. This same ensemble was selected to perform in the 2024 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL.
