New Trier High School Jazz Program



DOWNBEAT AWARDS

New Trier ensembles or individuals have received 39 awards in the Downbeat Student Music Awards program. 

Downbeat magazine's Student Musician Awards program started twenty years ago and is the only national awards programs of its type. Public and private schools from the United States and Canada can submit tapes for review. There is no identifier on the tapes so the awards committee comprised of nationally-known jazz artists and educators who review the tapes do not know who they are hearing. This blind review process is the most fair way of evaluating musical groups. There is no published list of schools that submit tapes, thus there are no "losers" in this type of program. There are numerous categories for large and small jazz and classical groups, with awards for individuals as well.

According to Downbeat magazine, their published judging criteria for performance groups are...

1) Overall Sound
2) Presence or authority
3) Proper interpretation of idiom
4) Improvisation or creativity
5) Technique
6) Intonation
7) Phrasing
8) Dynamics
9) Accurate rhythm/time
10) Material performed

New Trier High School's students have received the following 42 awards in the Downbeat Student Musician Awards program. 

1985
    Best High School Original Extended Composition
    Matt Toll for "Bat Dance"

1991
     Best High School Jazz Instrumental Group
     New Trier High School Synthesizer Ensemble
     James Warrick, director

1993
     Outstanding High School Jazz Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director 

1995
     Outstanding High School Jazz Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director 

     Best High School Jazz Big Band Arrangement
     Matt Libman 

1996
     Outstanding High School Jazz Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director 

1998
    Best High School Jazz Big Band
    New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
    James Warrick, director

     Best High School Classical Orchestra
     New Trier High School Symphony Orchestra
     Peter Rosheger, conductor

     Best High School Jazz Vocalist
     Alexis Booth

1999
     Best High School Jazz Big Band
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director

     Best High School Symphonic Band
     New Trier Symphonic Wind Ensemble
     John Thomson, conductor

     Best High School Classical Orchestra
     New Trier High School Symphony Orchestra
     Peter Rosheger, conductor

2000
     Outstanding High School Jazz Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director 

     Jazz Instrumental Soloist Winner
     Sam Bar-Sheshet, piano

    Best High School Engineered Live Recording
     Jonathan Siegfried, Recording Engineer

2001
     Best High School Wind Ensemble
     New Trier Symphonic Wind Ensemble
     John Thomson, director

2002
     Outstanding High School Jazz Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director 

     Best High School Wind Ensemble
     New Trier Symphonic Wind Ensemble
     John Thomson, director

     Best High School Classical Orchestra
     New Trier High School Symphony Orchestra
     Peter Rosheger, conductor

     Best High School Jazz Instrumental Group
     Stephane Grappelli Tribute Trio
      (Aaron Weinstein, Gabe Noel, John Gillilan)

     Outstanding Performance High School Jazz Instrumental Soloist
     Aaron Weinstein, violin

2003
     Best High School Big Band
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director

    Best Studio Engineered Recording
    John Gillilan '03 

2004
     Best High School Orchestra
     New Trier High School Symphony Orchestra
     Peter Rosheger, Director

     Best High School Wind Ensemble
     New Trier High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble
     John Thomson, Director

     Best High School Jazz Vocalist
     Brian Krugman
     New Trier High School

     Outstanding Performance High School Jazz Vocalist
     Katie Allen
     New Trier High School

2005
     Best High School Orchestra
     New Trier High School Symphony Orchestra
     Peter Rosheger, Director

     "Lifetime Achievement Award For Jazz Education" presented to
     James Warrick by Down Beat magazine

2006
     Outstanding Performance High School Jazz Vocalist
     Lori Allen
     New Trier High School

2007
     Best High School Classical Group
     New Trier High School Symphony Orchestra
     Peter Rosheger, Director

    Best High School Jazz Vocalist
    Cody Fry

    Best High School Engineered Live Performance Recording
    John Caudy (NT 06')

     Outstanding High School Big Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director

     Outstanding Performance High School Jazz Pianist
     Adam Kromelow

     Outstanding Performance High School Jazz Vocalist
     Emily Berman

     Outstanding Performance High School Jazz Vocalist
     Mike Nelson

2008

     Best High School Jazz Composition
     Cody Fry (Senior)
     "Portrait of Insanity" written for the Jazz Guitar Ensemble

     Outstanding High School Big Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director

2009

     Best Big Band Performance
     New Trier High School Jazz Ensemble I
     James Warrick, director

     Outstanding Jazz Vocal Performance
     Carrie Furniss

     Outstanding Jazz Vocal Performance
     Alex Perraud