What is Jazz in the Meadows all about?

One of the events that Rolling Meadows High School is most known for is its annual Jazz Festival, "JAZZ IN THE MEADOWS!" This year will be the 23rd Annual JAZZ IN THE MEADOWS. This year's festival will take place on
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2008 and will draw junior high and high school jazz bands and combos from over 75 schools across the Midwest, including schools from all parts of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri. These schools will put on 120 performances throughout our school. We will have performance rooms for the different competitive and noncompetitive classes in the Library, Women’s Gym, Main Gym, Field house, Orchestra Room, New Band Room, New Art Room, and Theater. Each performance room has 3 extremely reputable college or high school directors or professional jazz musicians serving as adjudicators. In addition, there will be clinics held in the Old Choir Room and Media Room as well as professional concerts in the Gym and Theater.

The festival has a jam session in the Commons in which students can come down with their instruments and "jam" with kids from all different schools! It is an incredible event. Besides all of the hours that I, and the parent co-chairs, put in in planning, it is the parent and student workers on the day of the Festival itself that helps to make it such a HUGE success with such an incredible reputation of excellence!!! I am always amazed at how smoothly the day runs---due mostly to the parent and student workers! I am always bombarded by compliments from other high school directors on how courteous and helpful the RMHS Music Boosters and students are on festival day! Many other festivals have been modeled after ours. It is quite exciting and gratifying to all involved.

Many people might think that JAZZ IN THE MEADOWS only benefits that jazz students. Even though those students get a great day of jazz, other students may also enjoy performances by some of the top school music programs and professionals in the jazz arena. Thus, students may get concert credits (or culture points) from viewing such performances. More importantly, this is our single most important fundraiser that the Music Boosters runs. Contrary to popular belief, the money is not spent on the RMHS jazz program alone. In fact here is a "brief" list of what Music

Booster monies generated from this festival helps to support:

-provide scholarships to summer music camps for drum major, color guard, band, and orchestra students
-purchasing a baritone sax for the Bands
-purchasing electric violins for the Orchestra
-purchasing of additional new music stands for the music rooms
-purchasing of color guard uniforms and flag equipment
-senior flowers at Band-O-Rama and the Spring Band and Orchestra Concerts
-senior gifts at the awards banquet
-purchasing music department jv and varsity letters at the awards banquet
-purchasing solo and ensemble medals
-hiring of a fall marching band staff
-hiring of a Winter Drum Line and Winter Color Guard staff
-meals or food at Band Camp, Junior High Mass Band Night, and String Fling Night
-honorarium to students to help with meal expenses on the spring break trips and summer Europe trips
-subsidizing a portion of student's expense for the purchase of their first polo shirt
-water for the marching band during parades
-donuts and orange juice for the marching band on parade performance mornings
-purchasing music for the Bands and Orchestra
-purchasing computer software for the Harmony and Arranging class
-purchasing leather folders for the Orchestra
-purchasing a bass travel case for Orchestra and Jazz Band
-hiring judges for Solo and Ensemble contest for Band and Orchestra
-hiring instructors for jazz and concert sectionals
-bringing in college jazz bands for clinics or concerts
-bringing in a guest artist for the Spring Jazz Concert
-giving a donation to the Spring Musical program and Prom
-and many, many other things!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can see from this "partial" list, JAZZ IN THE MEADOWS benefits ALL of the RMHS Band, Orchestra, and Color Guard students!!! Thus, please mark your calendar now to be available to help with festival on February
23rd so that we can continue to maintain a reputation of putting on an excellent festival as well as continuing to provide for numerous additional opportunities for the RMHS Bands, Color Guard, and Orchestra students! Also, you don't want to miss out on the opportunity to see and hear our special guest artists in concert!!!!!! I would like to thank you in advance for your time and energy with JITM 2008!

Christopher Buti
Director of Bands
RMHS

Michael Riggs
Assistant Director of Bands
RMHS