FRYEBURG — Fryeburg Academy’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble won third prize at the 50th annual Berklee High School Jazz Festival on Feb. 10. The ensemble has won the festival three times and placed in the top three numerous times in the past 26 years.

FA’s instrumental jazz ensembles have won twice, and earned several top awards as well. This year, the FA Big Band, directed by Mike Sakash, placed fifth in its division. All three of the Fryeburg Academy ensembles that performed at the Berklee Jazz Festival logged many hours of after-school and evening rehearsal in preparation for the event, which included 209 of the top high school jazz ensembles from around the country.

The Vocal Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Mimi Rohlfing, performed “So What” by Miles Davis, with lyrics by Eddie Jefferson; “Round Midnight” by Thelonius Monk, with lyrics by Bernie Hanighen; and “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” by Stevie Wonder and arranged by Darmon Meader. Members of the group are eligible for 25 percent scholarships at Berklee summer programs as a result of this achievement.

The Berklee music faculty recognize one performer in each ensemble for the Judge’s Choice Award. Senior Ciara Neidlinger received the award for her performance in the Fryeburg Academy’s New Standard Jazz Combo.

Neidlinger, who has performed with FA’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble all four years at the academy, won one of three Outstanding Musicianship Awards in their vocal jazz division. Junior Georgia Stafford received Judge’s Choice Awards for her performances in the Big Band and Vocal Jazz Ensembles.

This year marked Fryeburg Academy’s first entrance into a new category of competition. Ten finalists were selected from videos submitted by vocalists from throughout the United States. As one of these finalists, junior Georgia Stafford participated in a masterclass with “The Voice” vocal coach Debra Byrd, with the final competition taking place in the afternoon. Stafford won first prize. As a result, Stafford was invited to perform for a crowd of 6,000 people at the evening awards ceremony in Veterans Memorial Hall of the Hynes Convention Center. She also received a full scholarship to attend the five-week summer program at the Berklee College of Music.

Fryeburg Academy’s award-winning jazz program will be featured at the Stone Mountain Arts Center on Thursday, April 5. Visit http://www.stonemountainartscenter.com/ArtsCenter/ for tickets and information.

Members of the Fryeburg Academy Vocal Jazz Ensemble perform at the High School Jazz Festival. The Academy came in third place for Vocal Class V2.

Members of the Fryeburg Academy Vocal Jazz Ensemble, from left, Ashley Nguyen, David Marshall, Mckenzie Huppe, Sam Paulding, Arvin Ma, Ciara Neidlinger, Addison Schwarz. Not visible: pianist Silvia Sanchez Serra, bassist Owen Burk, guitarist Christian Martin, and drummer Matt Gunther, director Mimi Rohlfing.

Fryeburg Academy junior Georgia Stafford performs at the evening awards ceremony with the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra directed by Greg Hopkins.

Judges Choice Award winner Ciara Neidlinger, left, performs with Owen Burk and Georgia Stafford of Fryeburg Academy’s New Standard Combo.

Members of the Fryeburg Academy Vocal Jazz Ensemble perform at the High School Jazz Festival. 

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