Glenwood Jazz Band Earns 4th Place Finish At Iowa Jazz Championships

A fourth-place finish at last week’s Iowa Jazz Championships (IJC) capped off another successful season for the Glenwood Jazz Band.

Glenwood was one of 15 Class 3A bands earning qualification to the IJC. Glenwood has qualified for IJC every year since 2004 and has placed in the trophy class (top 8) every year since 2010, a feat accomplished by only three Class 3A jazz bands in the state – Glenwood, Harlan and Pella.

“We performed a variety of very challenging music this year,” Glenwood Jazz Band director Dan Schoening said. “In the end, the set that we brought to competition included: Front Burner from the Count Basie Library, Back In Time by Pat Methany, Tonight, We Tango by Rick Hirsch, and Two Seconds To Midnight by Alan Baylock.”

Four Glenwood musicians received “Outstanding Soloist” awards at the state competition – Aubrey Mullanix, Mayer Buchanan, Nolan Clark and Julia Nightser.

“Our solosits this year included Julia Nightser (Alto Saxophone), Jabe Rounds (Bass), Nolan Clark (Piano, Synthesizer and Accordion), Quinn Richrdson (Tenor Sax), Trent Marley (Trumpet), Brit Maxwell (Drums), Mayer Buchanan (Trumpet) and Aubrey Mullanix (Flugelhorn),” Schoening said. “All of our soloists received recognition for outstanding musicianship at some point during the season. In addition to receiving an Outstanding award at IJC, Aubrey Mullanix received one of only four outstanding awards at the UNO Jazz Festival.”

Glenwood’s jazz ensemble begins rehearsing in late October and continues playing through the beginning of April.

Last week’s performance is the band’s last at the IJC under Schoening’s direction. He’s retiring at the end of the school year.