Hersey Jazz, soloists honored at Jazz in the Meadows

The John Hersey High School Jazz Combo One took home first-place honors while its Jazz Band One and Jazz Band Two both placed second in their classes at the 29th Jazz in the Meadows competition at Rolling Meadows High School on Feb. 22.

And it was a big day for Hersey's trombones. Senior trombone player Kevin Kapinos earned the Outstanding Soloist title for both the Large School Combo Class and Class 3A Big Band while junior trombone player Morgan Treppa won an Outstanding Soloist award for her performance with Jazz Two.

"I think the success of the combo is a good indication of things to come, due to the age of the group," said band director Scott Casagrande. The combo features just three seniors, with one junior, two sophomores and a freshman rounding out the group.

More than 50 schools participated in the daylong festival. Fellow District 214 school Wheeling High School took the top spot in its class over Hersey and won the Grand Champion title.

The competition capped off a successful season for the Hersey Jazz Bands. At the Purdue Jazz Festival in January, Jazz Two placed second in its class and Jazz One won its class, with Kapinos again winning a soloist award. In addition, in the fall, all 12 of the Hersey students who auditioned for the Illinois Music Educators Association District 7 Jazz Bands (the maximum number allowed to audition) made one of the district bands. Of those 12, seniors Jeremy Fuller and Kevin Kapinos both earned spots at All State.

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