April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and in Berks County, this means several performances will be happening all month long.<\/p>\n
Wednesday night, the Pottsgrove High School jazz band got a swing at it in Baseballltown.<\/p>\n
“We had a great, just a great time, hanging out the game and performing for everybody that was there,\u201d said Pottsgrove High School Band Director Ellie Zerefos. \u201cSo, we figured we would sign up and do it again.”<\/p>\n
This month Jazz is being celebrated everywhere… even here at the ballpark…”<\/p>\n
“We’re performing our jazz set,\u201d Zerefos said. \u201cSo we’ll be starting off the night with a Latin piece called Illuminata.”<\/p>\n
“We have a tenor sax soloist, a clarinet soloist,\u201d she added. We have a lot of fun stuff, oh, and a flute soloist.”<\/p>\n
The Pottsgrove High School jazz band is bringing the rhythm.<\/p>\n
“When we make actual\u2026I really like that because it’s different than playing, so I really like actually making music and having people feel and understand what’s happening,\u201d said junior Trenton Bechtel.<\/p>\n
The students get excited at a chance to interact with a live audience.<\/p>\n
“I’m actually really excited. I was able to perform at this event last year as well, and it was a great time just performing for more of like, an interactive audience than like, in a traditional concert or competition setting,\u201d said senior Haley Harner.<\/p>\n
And it takes months of preparation.<\/p>\n
“I think what people don’t tend to understand is that we can’t just pull something out and make it sound good,\u201d Zerefos said. \u201cThese kids spend hours rehearsing, working on parts and making things sound perfect individually, and then they come in and put it all together.”<\/p>\n
In the end, their passion radiates with every note.<\/p>\n
“When all the hard work finally pays off and they get to do it and perform in front of everybody,\u201d Zerefos said. \u201cI think the best part is to just watch them perform and have a good time and sit back and listen to some good music.”<\/p>\n