The second annual Quincy Square Jazz Festival in Bremerton was held Feb. 5 and 6, featuring performances from 40 middle school and high school bands and choirs.

The festival has grown three times its size in the last year, with total participants increasing from the first annual event, which had 12 bands. The goal for the festival is to make it the biggest middle and high school jazz festival in Washington. The Music Discovery Center and Olympic College partnered to host the festival, with performances taking place at the OC Theatre, Bremerton High School Theatre, and the Roxy Theatre in downtown Bremerton.

The event honors the legacy of influential record producer Quincy Jones’ discovery of music in Bremerton as a child. The festival also acts as a revival and relaunch of the Olympic College Jazz Festival, which ran from 1960 to 1974, organized by Mutchler. At its height, the OC Jazz Festival hosted up to 80 bands from across Washington. The MDC and OC have high hopes that the Quincy Square Jazz Festival will eventually expand to that same size.

“The Quincy Square Jazz Festival is the epitome of what community partnership should look like,” said interim OC president Joan Hanten. “We are thrilled to welcome middle school and high school bands from all over Washington to our Bremerton Campus. This festival builds on the rich legacy of the Olympic Jazz Festival and music pioneers in our community like festival founder Ralph Mutchler, longtime Olympic College faculty Raleigh McVicker, and of course, Quincy Jones.”

Both instrumental and vocal jazz performances were on display at the festival, with tickets sold out three days prior to the event. The participants competed for the Ralph Mutchler Sweepstakes Award, which is awarded annually to the top-performing jazz band. Mutchler’s son, John Mutchler, made an appearance during the weekend as a judge for the competition.

The top three high school instrumental jazz bands and the top three vocal jazz ensembles performed at the Jazz Gala at the end of the festival, which was held in the Roxy Theatre. Below are the awards for the second annual jazz festival.

Ralph Mutchler Sweepstakes Award for best jazz instrumental group: Spanaway Lake High School

Raleigh McVicker Sweepstakes Award for best jazz choir: Ingraham High School

People’s Choice Award: Ballard High School

Outstanding Soloists

Trombone: Connor Nance, Kingston High School

Trumpet: Finn Pastrzcyk, Ballard High School

Saxophone: Daniel Watson, Central Kitsap High School

Bass: Allen Kim, Meadowdale High School

Outstanding Gala Soloist: Bass Trombone, Derek Nelson, Gig Harbor High School

Outstanding Vocal Soloist: Madeline Alviar, Garfield High School

Outstanding Rhythm Section: Ingraham High School

The Kingston Middle School Jazz Band was among 40 performing groups at the festival.