WHS jazz band gets national notice

The Wheeling High School Jazz Band has been notified by the Foundation for Music Education that it has been selected as a National Winner in the “Mark of Excellence - National Jazz Honors” project for the second consecutive year.

The Mark of Excellence is a competition where groups record and submit performances in competition with other groups throughout the United States. After judging, groups in the top quarter are selected as National Winners, while the second quarter groups receive Commended Honors.

The Mark of Excellence consists of the National Wind Band Honors, National Orchestra Honors, National Choral Honors, National Jazz Honors, and the National Percussion Ensemble Honors. A total of 161 music ensembles from 32 states entered the competition. The jazz entries were adjudicated by Professor Jeff Jarvis from California State University at Long Beach.

Dick Clardy, executive director, wrote in his letter to Wheeling, “The Wheeling High School Jazz Band is a wonderful example for bands everywhere, and a credit to your district.”