Souhegan Jazz Students Prepare For Big Competition

These Souhegan musicians are swinging their way to Boston this weekend to compete against thousands of students in the art of jazz.

Carl Benevides and 21 Souhegan students has been spending February vacation practicing in preparation for the Berklee College of Music's 45th Annual High School Jazz Festival in Boston this weekend.

The annual event is the largest of its kind in the US and will showcase over 3,000 students and 200 bands and vocal ensembles from across the country and Puerto Rico. The student musicians compete for $175,000 in summer scholarships and bragging rights.

Benevides is looking forward to bringing his young musicians to the challenge and is looking forward to the feedback from judges. The band director of thirteen years will be taking a group of students to Italy for nine days in April to perform across the country.

“We want to be good ambassadors not only for our school, but for American jazz in general,” he said. In the meantime, they will be hosting multiple fundraisers in March to raise money for the trip.

Find out more of what is in store for the students at Berklee this Saturday.