From left, senior Katie Townley jams with trumpeter Marcus Printup
Senior Adam Carey plays trumpet
Trumpeter Marcus Printup brought the jazzy notes of Duke Ellington to Byron Center High School before the mandatory shutdown, where he spent a full school day with the jazz band rehearsing classics such as “Dippermouth Blues” and “Kinda Dukish Rockin’ In Rhythm” by Duke Ellington.
The visit was part of the band’s work with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, an organization that hosts Essentially Ellington, a program and competition for high school bands.
Senior Dylan Standish plays the trumpet
The Jazz Band was selected from among hundreds of schools across the country to compete in Essentially Ellingtonin May. (The event has been postponed until further notice in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.)
Schools who qualify spend three days in New York City immersed in workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals and performances.
From left, junior Emily Oegema, jazz musician Marcus Printup, junior Jake Brunink, and senior Nolan Czaja play jazz
Front row, from left, are junior Meghan Koetje, junior Sam Brock, junior Emily Oegema, trumpeter Marcus Printup, junior Jake Brunink, senior Nolan Czaja and Director Marc TownleyTrumpeter Marcus Printup performs for studentsFrom left, senior Alex Locke, senior Katie Townley, sophomore Carlie Arnold, senior Carolynn Hoezee and senior Brogan Kaczkofsky get jazzyNolan Czaja practices his skills on the tromboneFrom left, senior Cassie Denhof, senior Adam Carey and junior Abbie Townley performJunior Jake Brunink plays tromboneFrom left, seniors Dylan Standish and Josh Kohlhoff look on as sophomore Nolan Kirkwood playsFrom left, Director Marc Townley and trumpeter Marcus Printup give instruction during rehearsalfrom left, senior Katie Townley bumps fists with Trumpeter Marcus Printup after a jam session
Dianne Carroll Burdick has worked as a photojournalist in the West Michigan area since 1991. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she has photographed for The Grand Rapids Press, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Detroit Free Press, Advance Newspapers, Grand Rapids Magazine, BLUE Magazine and On-the-Town Magazine. She has been covering the many exciting and thought provoking stories of K-12 public education for School News Network since 2016.
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