Viking Jazz Fest tuned up for 31st competition
Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, January 31, 2007
POULSBO — By the end of this week, some of the top middle and high school-associated jazz talent from around Western Washington will have taken the stage at the North Kitsap Community auditorium.
The 31st annual Viking Jazz Fest — hosted by the NK High and Poulsbo Junior High band departments — is in proper playing position, waiting for it’s conductor to signal the baton.
This year, that all-encompassing baton will direct more than 48 different high and middle school groups — a record number for the festival, NK Band director and festival organizer David Dunbar said.
“It’s kind of nice to see some of the top name schools bringing their ensembles,” Dunbar said. “And we have some really scary groups coming again this year.”
Scary in a good way for music lovers, scary in bad way for students set to take part in the competition as the high school festival champions from both 2004 and 2005 are back on the tourney roster, which includes a host of other talent.
Five Washington state judges are set to decide the winner.
Middle school ensembles will take the stage at 8 a.m. Feb. 1 for their day of competition which will run until around 7 p.m. Then, on Feb. 2, the high school ensembles will compete beginning at 7:30 a.m. and wrapping up around 7 p.m.
Following the high school competition at 8 p.m. that night, the best of the 48 contestants will put on a show for the festival’s finale. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the door.
