Garfield, Roosevelt and Edmonds-Woodway musicians earn individual honors

The first-place Garfield High School jazz band reinforced its reputation for having exceedingly strong soloists by winning 10 individual awards in the Essentially Ellington competition in New York, more than any other band. Garfield's rhythm section also won an outstanding rhythm section award.

Roosevelt, which placed fourth as a band, won three individual awards and one section award for outstanding trombone section; Edmonds-Woodway won four individual awards.

Garfield senior and trumpet player Riley Mulherkar was named outstanding soloist of the entire competition. Eight of his bandmates were also recognized with instrumental soloist awards: sophomore Julian Garvue and junior Ian Zapolsky won outstanding piano awards; senior Carmen Rothwell won for outstanding bass performance; junior Willem de Koch earned honorable mention for the trombone; senior Evan Shay was named outstanding soloist for the alto saxophone; juniors Ian Frost and Charlie Phillips won outstanding tenor sax soloist; junior Richelle Tanner was named outstanding flute soloist.

Roosevelt's Xavier Del Castillo, a junior, and Andy Clausen, a senior, won outstanding soloist awards for tenor sax and trombone respectively. Senior Max Williams earned honorable mention for guitar.

Edmonds-Woodway's Preston Sahabu, a junior, won for outstanding piano. E-W freshman Miles Laven won for outstanding drum solo. Junior bassist Alex Dyring and senior trumpeter Dylan Allrud-Faltisco received honorable mention awards for their instruments.

A full list of individual awards can be found on the Jazz at Lincoln Center's website, www.jalc.org, under "About Us" and "Newsflash." (The press release on the site erroneously lists alto saxophonist Graham Smith's school as Garfield; He attends Rio Americano High School.).

Hugo Kugiya: hkugiya@yahoo.com