Stevenson High School’s jazz bands tuned up to perform for their annual Jazz Cafe event on Friday, December 13. During the event, the bands performed pieces from a variety of composers.

Jazz Cafe takes place annually and showcases three of Stevenson’s jazz programs. Each year the band plays a mixture of improvised and rehearsed pieces.

“Jazz cafe was something that I started around my third year of teaching,” music teacher Madeline Vogler said. “It felt like it would be nice to have an [activity] that was a little more relaxed in terms of that atmosphere, a little more casual, and also snacks.”

Vogler felt inspired to change the traditional concert event into a cafe to shift away from the formality of concerts. Joseph Wang ’25, who has been a part of a jazz band since freshman year, enjoys being part of the jazz community.

“I really love playing in big groups because you can feel everyone’s energy especially when we’ve spent so much time preparing,” Wang said.

Jazz rehearsals occur twice a week. Wang has been prioritizing high quality sounds during rehearsal alongside maintaining a pleasant atmosphere. This year rehearsals have included students practicing their improvisation skills in preparation for the concert.

“It’s different every year. but there’s always plans to improve ourselves,” Wang said. “This year we had a performance with Hersey High School to practice the songs we would be playing.”

Several students in the Jazz program also involve themselves in other musical programs offered by Stevenson which shortens the amount of time left for Jazz rehearsals. Despite the quick turnover the students were able to explore a variety of techniques within Jazz.

“The thing that’s really exciting about jazz is that a lot of it is improvised music, so you’re seeing and hearing something that only exists in that one moment,” band director Ben Voigt said.

Voigt believes that some people have preconceived ideas for what jazz is and sometimes assume that they don’t enjoy it, but upon listening to a jazz concert, they begin to appreciate it. When finalizing the music for the performance, the process not only reflects students’ opinions; it also takes into account the culture of Jazz.

“The whole point of jazz is that you’re respecting the past, but moving forward,” 
Vogler said.

Vogler appreciates the evolving jazz culture and believes that it’s the responsibility of performers to also respect the traditions. She is very proud of the work which the students have put in throughout the year.

“The [most rewarding part] is people are getting excited about the music, whether students who are performing it or the people who are listening to it,” Vogler said.