VIDEO: Coginchaug Jazz Band to Compete in Largest High School Jazz Festival

Coginchaug's Jazz Band will compete in the country's largest high school jazz competition this weekend.

Berklee College of Music's 45th High School Jazz Festival is being held on Saturday at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, an event that features thousands of young musicians.

Dean Coutsouridis, director of Coginchaug High School's jazz band, said the 21-member group will take the stage at 10 a.m. Saturday to perform three pieces.

"We're doing a really great latin jazz piece called the Tiger of San Pedro. That's our most challenging one to play," said Coutsouridis.

The jazz band rehearses four times a week, including on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:45 a.m. "The more they play together the better they goove," Coutsouridis said.

Saturday's performance will be the first time the group has attended the prestigious event.

"I've always wanted to do it," Coutsouridis said. "This is a particularly good group. This is a really good jazz band, and as good as they are they're going to hear other bands and say, 'Wow!'

Groups and individual musicians will be judged and recognized during an awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Saturday evening. The event, which is open to the public, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Participants will also enjoy clinics and concerts by award-winning musician Aubrey Logan, whose jazz, neo-soul, and pop sound defines the new generation of contemporary musicians, and the Metta Quintet, featuring some of today’s brightest jazz artists including Berklee alumni Lawrence Fields Hans Schuman and resident ensemble of New York City-based jazz preservation initiative JazzReach. 

Find the complete schedule at berkleejazz.org.