Story by student reporter Hunter Green.

Six Thomas County Central High School musicians have been chosen for District 2 Honor Jazz Band. These students are Justin Strickland, Eli Kosciw, Chandler Watson, Eric Webb, Austin Kelley, and Gabriel Nieves.

“Students are basically competing against the other students who audition from all around southwest Georgia,” TCCHS Assistant Band Director Paul Johns said. “There are only 18 spots available in the jazz band, so it is quite a testament to our six students who made it.”

TCCHS students began practicing for district jazz band auditions on the first day of school. Students practiced in class as well as in small groups up until the day of auditions. Playing six scales and sight-reading two pieces were part of the audition requirements.

“Each day in preparation for jazz band auditions I would practice for hours at a time, after school and over the weekends,” senior trombone player Gabriel Nieves said. “I went as far as practicing my jazz scales and sight-reading with one of my friends who plays jazz in college.”

Twelfth-grade baritone-saxophone player Austin Kelley describes the audition process.

“Everyone went to a room to warm up,” he said. “Then, section by section, we were sent to our waiting rooms to wait until it was our time to go into the audition room. Finally, we played our [six] scales, two sight-readings – one fast, one slow – and we were done.”

Students who made district directly benefit from the practice and audition experience.

“Those that made it will have the opportunity to participate in the district jazz clinic in Tifton in February,” Johns said. “A jazz specialist will be brought in to lead the band for the weekend and a concert will be given at the end of the clinic.”

Five of the six students will go on to audition for All State Jazz Band on Dec. 3.