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Dreyfoos Jazz Sends Three to All-State Jazz DJ breaks a school record, sending three to the Florida All-State Jazz Band for the second year in a row.By Brian Ross

WEST PALM BEACH, FL - Repeat! The Dreyfoos Band Department’s elite Jazz program will send three of its top musicians to the Florida Bandmasters Association All-State Jazz Band for the second year in a row.

Drummer Murphy Aucamp, and tenor saxophonists Holden Ross and Alex Ramirez were named to the Holy Grail of high school Jazz musicians.

Thousands of students across Florida audition for the seventeen coveted chairs of Florida’s Jazz honor band.

This is the second year in a row that Dreyfoos Jazz musicians were named to both tenor saxophone chairs.

For Holden Ross, a senior, and the band leader of DSOA’s top Jazz in Six combo, this is his second appearance with the All-State Jazz band, a rare feat given the great talent in Florida.

Ross was part of the first trio to set the record last year, which included tenor saxophonist Philip Ahn and trumpeter Christian Marrero.

Drummer Ray Nelson (DSOA ’11) was the last Dreyfoos Jazz musician to be honored in back-to-back years.

Murphy Aucamp, another senior at Dreyfoos, is one of the most sought-after and versatile high school percussionists in Florida today. He leads a Klezmer band, plays in numerous jazz combos, performs in concert bands, youth orchestras, and in the orchestra pits of musicals. His dream is to perform one day in the orchestra pits of Broadway musicals.

Junior Alex Ramirez will appear in the All-State Jazz Band on tenor saxophone, but the alto saxophone has been his primary instrument. He has been a member of the elite Jazz Ensemble I since he entered Dreyfoos in the 9th grade. He

plays in numerous local jazz combos at public and private events.

Great talents all, the driving force that shapes these musicians is the DSOA Jazz program. Both “triples” at All-State Jazz are due in part to the high bar that Director and talented composer Mr. Pedro Hernandez sets for his students.

The DSOA Artists-in-Residence program contributes to that success.

Ross and Ramirez work with saxophone and clarinet instructor Mr. Michael Forte, and Aucamp with percussionist Mr. Eric Rucker.

The trio are also members of the top concert band at DSOA, the Wind Ensemble, under the direction of DSOA Band Director Mr. Evan Rogovin, whose addition of a dedicated instructor for Jazz has turned this division of the Band program into an regional powerhouse.

DSOABANDBEAT

DOUBLE-TRIPLE: Drummer Murphy Aucamp (Senior), tenor Saxophonist Holden Ross (Senior), and tenor saxophonist Alex Ramirez (Junior) were named to the Florida Bandmasters Association All-State Jazz Band for 2013, tying the DSOA school record of three musicians selected in 2012. This is Ross’ second appearance. He was part of the trio in 2012 along with Junior saxophonist Phillip Ahn and trumpeter Christian Marrero (DSOA ’12) selected to represent the school in Tampa.

Photo: Sheila Aucamp Photo: Sheila Aucamp

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All of the juniors and seniors are making return appearances at All-State. For Sarah Barden it will be her third. She

was selected in the 8th grade for the Middle School All-State Orchestra and in 2012 as a Sophomore.

Thousands of students across the State of Florida audition every year for the All-State honor bands.

Each district of the FBA makes the music available to middle and high school students at the end of each academic year. It gives the students the summer to rehearse the pieces.

Some students audition on more than one instrument to improve their chances.

In the beginning weeks of the new school year, FBA districts hold “blind” auditions.

Every student musician is assigned a recording number. They then report to audition rooms at a local school where they are recorded, and their ID number is attached to the recording.

The recordings are then uploaded digitally to the FBA’s website, where adjudicators from around

Florida and even a few in Georgia review them.

In early November, students are notified as to whether they have been accepted.

January 9th through the 13th those selected will gather at the FBA convention to rehearse, and then perform for capacity crowds in Tampa, Florida on Saturday and Sunday as the

FBA meetings come to a close. Friday night is an SRO evening for the All-State Jazz band.

The All-State bands and orchestra are the capstone of a week of seminars, clinics, showcase performances by bands from around the state, and a trade show.

Top colleges come from around the country to set up booths at the trade show to attract students from Florida’s large pool of musical talent.

The Florida All-State honor bands can be a gateway to college

scholarships, and, for more serious young musicians, the pedigree that opens doors to America’s top music conservatories.

Excelence in music and academics, Newsweek & The Daily Beast rate A.W. Dreyfoos as the #37 academic high school in the nation.

Dreyfoos’ Band students are no strangers to the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) All-State Concert Bands and the All-State Orchestras.

This year DSOA students auditioning for All-State earned twenty-one seats in the four bands.

Along with the three students selected to the All-State Jazz Band, it brings the total honoree count for Dreyfoos’ Band to twenty-four, the second highest of any Florida high school in the state for 2013 All-State.

What is remarkable about this year’s group of All-State musicians is how many of them are appearing in the 9th-10th grade band.

A dozen DSOA Band students were named to the 9th-10th Grade Concert Band including freshmen Minh Ton and Amari Greene. This will be Greene’s third All-State appearance, his first with the high school honor band.

Kimberly Le and Charles Comiter were named to the 9th-10th Grade All-State Orchestra. For Le this will be her second All-State appearance.

Seven juniors and seniors were selected. Trenton Fleming, Brent Nolan, and Katie McMurray were named to the All-State Symphonic Band.

Sarah Barden, Adrian Gonzalez, Shaun Murray, and Max Stein were named to the 11th-12th Grade Orchestra.

Dreyfoos Sends 21 To All-State Orchestra, Band Palm Beach County’s Premiere Arts School Second in State for All-State Seats.

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All-State 2013

9-10 GRADE ORCHESTRA

KIMBERLY LECHARLES COMITER

11th-12th GRADE ORCHESTRA

SARAH BARDENADRIAN GONZALEZSHAUN MURRAYMAXWELL STEIN

9-10 GRADE CONCERT BAND

JUSTIN BESTCALVIN KALERJUSTIN MIGNATIMINH TONGABRIELLE TORDIKARLA DEVIVOJOSHUA DROURRRYAN HALLBENI SALVIADANIEL STERNAMARI GREENEBENJAMIN ALDEN

11-12 GRADE SYMPHONIC BAND

TRENTON FLEMINGBRENT NOLANKATIE McMURRAY

Wind Ensemble Flutist Sarah Barden makes her third appearance at All-State.

Freshman Amari Greene plays in the Wind Ensemble will be appearing in the All-State 9th-10th Grade Concert Band

Symphonic Band Bass clarinetist Karla Devivo named to the 9th-10th grade concert band.