Monomoy Jazz Band Captures Silver At New Bedford Festival

The Monomoy Regional High School Jazz Band came home with a silver medal after competing at the Massachusetts Association of Jazz Educators’ Cape Coastal District Festival on Feb. 25 at New Bedford High School. 

Competing alongside 10 schools from across the South Coast, Monomoy’s band comprised of 23 students dazzled during a three-song set that included covers of Bob Florence’s “Willowcrest,” Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia,” and “Mooncusser Shuffle,” an original song by Wayne Naus, the band’s conductor and arranger. 

“This was the first time they ever performed in an environment like that,” said Naus. “It was very exciting to have other bands from other schools there listening. They sound so incredible and they really performed well at this concert.”

The students volunteer for the band, which typically meets weekly for rehearsals with Naus.

“They’re all volunteers — they don’t get official credit,” Naus said. “I sometimes get to see them once a week for a half hour, sometimes twice a week, and sometimes not at all. The rehearsals for these three tunes started probably a month or two months ago, when we got back from Christmas break.”

Sophomore pianist Chris Marchio was awarded a plaque after being named the Most Valuable Player for Division 2 schools. 

Joining Marchio on piano was Jacob Woodland. The band also included Emma Gingras, Livia Leblanc and Elizabeth Rodgers on flute; Charlotte Skinner on oboe; Jillian Stevenson on clarinet; Georgia Storey on bass clarinet; Mackenzie Bowers and Benjamin McMullen on alto saxophone; Benjamin McGrath on tenor sax; Timothy Gray on baritone horn; Barbara Braz and Faye Viprino on bass; Maria Eduarda Lopes, Thomas Hereford and Wellington Holmes on trumpet; Jameson Lapsley and Trey Lapinski on euphonium; Boden Mabile, Jackson Craig and Joseph Thonus on percussion; and Thomas Marchio on guitar.