Under the direction of new band instructor Gretchen Shyne, 21 elite musicians from Norwich High School mix the common interest in jazz melody with the upbeat tempos of today’s classics.

The jazz ensemble, made up mostly of upper classmen, gets together twice a week beyond their normal musical lessons to learn about the intricasies of jazz music. The band features wind instruments including trumpet, trombone and saxophone while the rhythm section includes guitar, bass guitar, upright bass, keyboards and percussion.

Over the years, the jazz band has won numerous awards from local competitions including the Sherburne Pageant of the Bands, held each summer. Although winning is a well-appreciated bonus, the primary focus of the ensemble is to offer the performers a chance to indulge and understand the experience of engaging at a professional musical level in real-life settings.

In addition to the high school jazz ensemble, the music department offers a “B” jazz ensemble for the less experienced students wishing to play jazz.