More than 2,000 band students from Surrey and other schools across the Pacific Northwest were involved in the 33rd annual Envision Financial Jazz Festival last week at Sullivan Heights Secondary.
Surrey schools spokesperson David Connop Price said “record” registrations this year led to adding another performance venue in the school.
The library joined the gym, the band room and the main auditorium in the Bell Performing Arts Centre as locations for workshops, judging and final evening performances.
Among schools with bands attending were three from Washington State, as well as Wellington Secondary in Nanaimo.
More than 100 prizes were handed out at the awards showcase finals on Saturday.
Wellington (directed by Carmella Luvisotto) won the laurels for best senior band at the event.
Matthew McNair Secondary, from Richmond, took top honours for best junior/ senior band of the festival (directed by Jan Berman), while Johnston Heights Secondary claimed best Surrey junior/senior band (directed by David Fullerton).
Semiahmoo Secondary’s Grade 9 group, directed by Dagan Lowe, was judged the best junior band and best Surrey junior band.
St. Thomas More Secondary, from Burnaby, won best senior vocal jazz group (directed by Johnson Lui), while Walnut Grove Secondary, from Langley, claimed the prize for best junior/senior vocal jazz group (directed by Michael Angell).
