Riley Greenfield is part of the Jazz Band at Susan E. Wagner High School and has been working on her upright bass improvised solo for months, describing it as a lot of “trial and error.”

It comes at the end of Duke Ellington’s “Sugarhill Penthouse.”

What You Need To Know

The Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival brings 20 of the best high school jazz bands from across the country to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall

Around 119 schools applied to participate

Susan E. Wagner High School is competing for a fourth consecutive year

Paul Corn, the assistant principal of performing and visual arts at Susan E. Wagner High School, said his jazz band sent in auditions for approximately 15 years before making it

“It was a little stressful at first, but once you figure it out, it’s a lot of fun,” she said.

The junior is getting ready to compete at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 31st Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival.

“I’m so excited. Because a lot of people don’t get this opportunity,” Greenfield told NY1.

The competition brings 20 of the best high school jazz bands from across the country to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall. Around 119 schools applied to participate.

“I think it shows how much dedication we put in because we’re not like a special school for the arts,” Greenfield said.

It’s Susan E. Wagner High School’s fourth consecutive year taking part. In 2023, the school’s first year competing, they came in second.

It is the only school representing New York at this year’s competition.

Paul Corn, the assistant principal of performing and visual arts at Susan E. Wagner High School, said his jazz band sent in auditions for approximately 15 years before making it.

“We are a comprehensive high school in New York City, a New York City public high school that is not an arts-only school, or arts-first school, or arts-only audition school. So for us to make it four years in a row is, I know, is unheard of in New York,” he said.

Corn conducts Susan E. Wagner’s jazz band and has taught at the music program for nearly two decades.

“There’s nothing else like it. It’s the best experience I’ve ever had as a teacher, as a musician, as an artist,” he said. “It’s just a testament to the kids working hard and what they can accomplish, even though most of them won’t go into music as a career.”

Abigail Saladis is one of those students. She is the lead trumpeter in the jazz band, practicing two hours a day outside of rehearsals, and is heading to Binghamton next year to major in English.

“A music program and a music education should help further you for life and, like, give you a lot of these qualities that can be applicable to other standards of, like, what you’re going to do in your future,” she said.

It’s her third time participating in Essentially Ellington and said her favorite part is becoming friends with other young musicians from across the country.

“You get to meet all these different people. I still talk to kids who I met from Essentially Ellington last year, and we talk about how excited we are to see each other and we also help each other with music,” Saladis told NY1.

The competition runs from April 30 through May 2. Tickets are available to watch the competition at Jazz at Lincoln Center.