3 Livingston High School Jazz Musicians Ace Auditions With NJAJE

LIVINGSTON, NJ — A trio of student musicians with the Livingston High School Lancer Jazz Band recently had a successful audition with the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education (NJAJE) Region I Jazz Ensembles.

According to school officials, the students who auditioned successfully from the high school include Ian Hurrel (guitar), Alan Wu (trumpet) and Shourya Bansal (bass trombone).

The students had to practice a jazz etude and memorize scales to perform for judges made up of local music educators. In addition, students had to sight-read an excerpt of music and perform an improvised solo.

The students completed four intensive rehearsals and had their concert on April 7, 2019. Dr. Jeffrey Kunkel, Director of Jazz at Montclair State University, conducted the NJAJE Region I High School Jazz Ensemble.

The hardworking students will now try out for the NJAJE All State Jazz Band on Monday, April 29, at Rahway High School. he students who made Region Jazz Band in the other two regions (central and south) will compete against each other for spots in the prestigious All State Jazz Band, district administrators said.

“Every year, talented youth from Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren Counties prepare music to perform for judges,” said James Hegedus, director of jazz at Livingston High School.

“I am beyond thrilled that both students were selected for the ensemble,” Hegedus said. “The auditions are intense and can be nerve wracking… We’re always proud of all of the students who take on the audition, regardless of their individual outcome.”

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