Soloist Amanda Mason (in red) and friends are “Holding Out for a Hero.” Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.
Centreville — A musical feast for the eyes and ears — that’s Chantilly High’s Jazz & Pizzazz. And the 28th annual extravaganza will burst upon the stage, Wednesday-Saturday, May 28-31, at 7 p.m. in the school theater.
Tickets are $10 at www.chantillychoral.org. Friday and Saturday’s shows usually
sell out fast so, to be assured a seat, the directors advise people to buy their tickets in advance or come to Wednesday or Thursday’s shows.
More than 50 students will entertain and, said Choral Director Evan Ayars, “It’s a unique experience to have that many musicians and singers onstage together. It’s a great example of musical collaboration.”
“It’s humbling to think Jazz & Pizzazz has been going on almost as long as I’ve been alive,” said jazz band Director Chris Singleton, 29. “So to get to be a part of something with that rich a history is incredible. And I don’t know of any other schools that do anything like this. I conducted the Jazz Combo previously, but this’ll be my first time conducting the big group, so I’m definitely excited about it.”
Some 25 students total are in the Chantilly Jazz and the Jazz Combo. The music they’ll play will include “La Fiesta” by Chick Corea and “Channel One Suite,” a Buddy Rich tune featuring Chantilly drummer Ani Iyer. The school will also unveil a new arrangement of a Chicago song, “A Hit by Varese,” by Alan Baylock.
“We’re also doing a swing version of ‘Sesame Street’ that’s been fun to work on because I grew up listening to it,” said Singleton. “The Chantilly Jazz is a great group with a lot of seniors who’ve been in it multiple years. So because of that, the difficulty of this year’s music is very high — and they’ve just been knocking it out of the park.”
“All the performances the jazz band’s done this year have been really fun,” he continued. “The Chantilly Jazz Festival on March 28 was really high-energy and the kids had a good time. And they keep upping their performance level each time, so I’m really looking forward to Jazz & Pizzazz.”
So is Ayars, since it’s his first year teaching the Chantilly ShowStoppers. “It’s an undertaking, but I’m enjoying it and the kids are having fun,” he said. “The biggest challenge is fitting all the different components of this production together and keeping all the plates spinning.”
But, he added, “I’m loving doing some of the pop songs I haven’t gotten to do before and working with our choreographer, Ester Barr. She’s a 2000 Chantilly grad who was in Show Choir here and now teaches dance at a studio, so she’s very capable. She also understands singing because she was a singer, so she’s been a big help.”
For Jazz & Pizzazz, the ShowStoppers are drawing on some of the empowerment-themed songs they performed in competition. These include “Roar” by Katy Perry, “Fame” by Irene Cara, “Like a Prayer” by Madonna and “Forget You” by CeeLo Green.
“It’s also the first time the girls’ show choir, Charger Commotion, will perform in Jazz & Pizzazz,” said Ayars. “They’ll do three numbers and have worked really hard, so I’m happy to have them in the show.” The group will sing “I Knew You Were Trouble” by Taylor Swift, “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus and a medley by Adele.
There’ll be some soloists, too. Students submitted songs for consideration and Ayars picked the ones that’ll be performed. Taylor Newby will sing “Applause;” Amanda Mason, “Astonishing;” Tara Uncles, “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” Michael Mason, “Feeling Good” and Stephanie Proctor, “Let it Go.” These are just some of the solos in the show, and they’ll be sung on alternate nights.
ShowStoppers’ selections will include the Earth, Wind & Fire classic, “September,” and two vocal-jazz pieces. One of them, “On a Clear Day,” features prominent instrumental solos by Carter Webb on tenor sax and Gabe Luebbe on trombone. The other, “Moonglow,” said Ayars, is “an early 1940s tune with a laid-back, Count Basie feel.”
In addition, the boys will sing “Uptown Girl” and the girls will sing “Wings.” And they’ll each do a number from the movie, “Pitch Perfect,” with the girls performing “Cups” and the boys doing a mash-up of “Bright Lights, Bigger City” and “Magic.”
In honor of Memorial Day, the band will play a patriotic tribute to America’s fallen heroes. And the graduating seniors will perform “Wherever I Go” as their special song.
“Jazz & Pizzazz is a fundraiser for Chantilly’s band and choral programs, so it’s great for the community to support them,” said Singleton. “And it’s so entertaining that we have people who come back to see it, year after year. The kids have put a lot of hard work into this, and it’s nice to see the culmination.”
“There’s high-quality music and performances and tons of variety,” added Ayars. “Everyone will find a song they can relate to, and it’s a really energetic show that everyone will enjoy.”