On November 5th, the Hinsdale South Jazz Band performed at The Venue in Aurora to open for the Pete Ellman Big Band.
The Pete Ellman Big Band gets its name from Pete Ellman, a retiree from the Illinois Air National Guard. After his retirement, the band was formed and ever since then, the band has played frequently throughout Chicago. Throughout the years, the Pete Ellman Big Band has sent out invitations to middle school and high school jazz bands to open for their gigs.
Our jazz band spent a lot of time preparing for this gig, waking up early to rehearse on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays during Early Bird hours (7:00-7:50 am). The band consists of around 20 students, each contributing to playing different key parts: rhythm (drums, strings, piano), saxophone, or brass. Led by Mr. Goeke, the band director at South, students learn about chord structures which allow them to experiment with creating music through improvisation. They also have the option to solo during pieces, giving them the chance to express themselves through music.
Opening for and performing in front of a professional band was exciting but a little nerve-racking for the band. Senior Andrea Crisp, one of the pianists, deals with her performance anxiety by “listening to [her] body, which includes making sure to drink water, eat well,…and reminding [herself] that [she] has prepared and practiced and it’s going to be okay.” Feeling a sort of anxiety before going on stage has always been a universal experience that everyone has been through.
Despite the pre-performance anxiety, however, the band felt proud about their performance. “It made me feel very accomplished that I had gone from beginning band, all the way to opening for a well known band,” freshman saxophonist Emily Swiecki says. “I was also proud of everyone else in the band for being able to share that experience together!” Playing in a professional venue was a huge opportunity for the band members to expose themselves in front of a large audience and has helped them grow as musicians.
Overall, this experience allowed the band to show off their hard work that they have been putting together. Being in the jazz program has helped the musicians improve on playing their instrument and has given them a different view on how to approach playing a song. “Although waking up an hour early every morning is sometimes stressful and exhausting, the outcome is very worth it. I enjoy playing music with people I like being around first thing in the morning!” Swiecki states.
