Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival

The Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival is an annual high school jazz festival and competition that takes place every May at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The festival is aimed at encouraging young musicians to play music by Duke Ellington and other jazz musicians.

Process
Every year Jazz at Lincoln Center transcribes arrangements of Ellington's music and sends them to participating high school band directors in the U.S. and Canada. During the year, band directors are sent a newsletter and given access to online educational materials to help with the arrangements. Students can email Jazz at Lincoln Center for help and send recordings of their band's finished performances to the Center for evaluation. These recordings can also count as applications to the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival in New York City. Fifteen top bands are invited to the festival, which occurs every May at Frederick Rose Hall in Jazz at Lincoln Center. The festivals ends with an awards ceremony for the top three bands, then a concert by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis.

In 2013 a new selection process was introduced, under which the top three bands from five national regions compete in New York City. Another major change made that year was the opening up of the main competition to allow conglomerate bands (extra-curricular bands composed of students from more than one school, often sponsored by local performing arts organizations) to compete directly with the bands affiliated with schools, instead of one conglomerate band being chosen to appear outside the competition as a special guest in an exhibition performance, as was the case previously.

The 25th annual edition of the competition and festival was scheduled to feature classic Ellington charts re-released once again. It was also announced on “Acceptd”, the official application site, that, due to the 25th anniversary the region system has been eliminated, and a total of eighteen bands will be selected, three more than in years past. The disbanding of the regional system was a one-year-only event, while the increase in the numbers of bands selected remains ambiguous with regards to its permanence. However, due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus, Jazz At Lincoln Center announced that the “in person” aspects of the event were cancelled, with Wynton Marsalis presenting a Q&A session on the day of the festival, jam sessions, clinics, sectionals, concerts, and even the traditional cheer tunnel all being held virtually. No winners were announced, although honors to individual soloists and sections were given.

Also present for the first time in 2020 were five international youth jazz orchestras, from Japan, Scotland, Australia, Spain, and Cuba.

While the 2021 festival was originally scheduled to be an in-person event featuring music of pivotal arranger and pioneering electric guitarist Eddie Durham alongside the traditional Duke Ellington musical releases. However, the course of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that this arrangement simply wasn't feasible. The festival pushed back the release of new music until the 2021-2022 school year, and encouraged participating schools to submit one song from the entire Essentially Ellington library in either a synchronous or asynchronous fashion. Submission due dates were pushed back to March and the actual festival to early June.

The 2021 festival also introduced new rules regarding the submissions of conglomerate bands (extra-curricular bands composed of students from more than one school), a previously largely unregulated field. The festival provided and official definition of conglomerate bands, stating that they need to follow a specific course of study, as well as a scope and sequence, all in addition to weekly rehearsals and scheduled public performances. All-Star, All-State, and All-Region bands are barred from competition, as are bands created for the sole purpose of competing in Essentially Ellington.

Background
When the program began in 1995, it was offered only to school bands in New York City. During the next few years, the program grew to include schools in all U.S. states and Canada. Over 4000 schools have received materials.

Beginning in early 2006, JALC announced the debut of the festival's first regional. The regional festivals are non-competitive and offer high school jazz bands of different levels the opportunity to play Ellington's music while also receiving professional feedback.

Starting in 2008, music by big band composers other than Ellington was used for the first time, three Count Basie selections. In succeeding years they have also released songs by: Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, Gerald Wilson, Fletcher Henderson, and Benny Golson.

For the 2013 and 2015 competitions, Essentially Ellington returned to its original format of six Ellington charts. After the finalists are announced, clinicians are sent to each of the finalist schools to provide a jazz workshop and prepare the bands for competition. The clinicians are usually members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Notable alumni of the competition includes Grammy-nominated trombonist Nick Finzer who serves on the jazz faculty at UNT and founded The Outside The Music record label.

Finalists
Several high school bands from the Seattle area have participated including repeat finalists: Roosevelt; Garfield; Shorewood; Mount Si; Edmonds-Woodway; Mountlake Terrace; Newport and Ballard high schools. In 2008, five of the fifteen bands to compete were from the greater Seattle area. Acknowledging the region's dominance at the competition, Marsalis, tongue only half in cheek, challenged the remaining schools/regions, "to do something about Seattle and Washington."

Alabama

 * Virgil I. Grissom High School – Huntsville, Alabama, 1999

Arizona

 * Tucson Jazz Institute - Tucson, Arizona, 2010*, 2012*, 2013 (1st), 2014 (1st), 2015 (2nd), 2016 (3rd), 2017 (1st), 2018 (3rd), 2021

California

 * Agoura High School – Agoura Hills, California, 2004, 2005, 2006 (H.M.), 2007 (2nd), 2009, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 (3rd)
 * Agoura High School (Jazz A) – Agoura Hills, California, 2007, 2008
 * Albany High School – Albany, California, 2010
 * Calabasas High School – Calabasas, California, 2003, 2006, 2009
 * Esperanza High School – Anaheim, California, 2012
 * Los Angeles County High School for the Arts – Los Angeles, California, 2003 (3rd), 2006, 2009
 * Orange County School of the Arts - Santa Ana, California 2022 (3rd), 2023, 2024
 * Rio Americano High School – Sacramento, California, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012 (H.M.), 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2022
 * San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts - San Diego, California, 2016, 2019
 * SF Jazz All-Star High School Ensemble – San Francisco, California, 2002, 2003 (H.M.)

Colorado

 * Denver School of the Arts – Denver, Colorado, 1999, 2004, 2017(2nd), 2019, 2020

Connecticut

 * Connecticut Youth Jazz Workshop – Middletown, Connecticut, 2000, 2002
 * Greenwich High School – Greenwich, Connecticut, 1996, 2003, 2007
 * Guilford High School – Guilford, Connecticut, 1997, 1998 (H.M.), 1999, 2003
 * Hall High School – West Hartford, Connecticut, 1997 (3rd), 1998 (1st), 1999 (2nd), 2000 (1st), 2001 (H.M.), 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023

Florida

 * Community Arts Program – Coral Gables, Florida 2013, 2014, 2015
 * Dillard High School – Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2010 (2nd), 2011 (1st), 2012 (1st), 2013 (H.M.), 2014 (3rd), 2015 (H.M.), 2017 (3rd), 2018 (1st), 2019 (2nd), 2020, 2021
 * Douglas Anderson School of the Arts – Jacksonville, Florida, 2004, 2006 (1st), 2008
 * Dreyfoos School of the Arts – West Palm Beach, Florida, 1998, 2021, 2024
 * Howard W. Blake High School – Tampa, Florida, 1999 (H.M.)
 * New World School of the Arts – Miami, Florida, 2000 (2nd), 2002 (3rd), 2003 (2nd), 2004 (H.M.), 2005 (1st), 2009 (H.M.), 2010, 2011 (H.M.), 2012 (3rd), 2013, 2015, 2016 (1st), 2020, 2022, 2023 (3rd)
 * Osceola County High School for the Arts – Kissimmee, Florida, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2022 (1st), 2023 (1st), 2024 (2nd)
 * Tarpon Springs High School – Tarpon Springs, Florida, 2019, 2020
 * University High School - Orange City, Florida, 2016

Georgia

 * The Lovett School – Atlanta, Georgia, 2000, 2001 (3rd), 2004 (H.M.), 2010

Illinois

 * Champaign Central High School – Champaign, Illinois, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2021
 * DeKalb High School– DeKalb, Illinois, 2008, 2012
 * Downers Grove South High School – Downers Grove, Illinois, 2011
 * East St. Louis Senior High School – East St. Louis, Illinois, 2011
 * Lake Zurich High School – Lake Zurich, Illinois, 2006
 * Lyons Township High School – La Grange, Illinois, 2015
 * Naperville North High School – Naperville, Illinois, 2000
 * St. Charles High School – St. Charles, Illinois, 1998, 2000
 * St. Charles East High School – St. Charles, Illinois, 2003
 * St. Charles North High School – St. Charles, Illinois, 2004, 2011
 * Thornton Township High School – Harvey, Illinois, 2002
 * Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage – Wheaton, Illinois, 2001 (H.M.), 2008*, 2024

Indiana

 * Southport High School – Indianapolis, Indiana, 1999
 * Whiteland Community High School - Whiteland, Indiana, 2014
 * Noblesville High School - Noblesville, Indiana, 2021, 2022

Iowa

 * North Scott High School – Eldridge, Iowa, 2009
 * Sioux City North High School – Sioux City, Iowa, 2006
 * Valley High School – West Des Moines, Iowa, 1999, 2011

Kansas

 * Shawnee Mission East High School – Prairie Village, Kansas, 2001, 2006
 * Olathe Northwest High School – Olathe, Kansas, 2021

Maryland

 * Arundel High School – Gambrills, Maryland, 2001

Massachusetts

 * Foxborough High School – Foxborough, Massachusetts, 1997 (1st), 1998 (2nd), 1999 (H.M.), 2000 (H.M.), 2001 (H.M.), 2002, 2003, 2004 (2nd), 2005, 2007 (3rd), 2009, 2010 (3rd), 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 (3rd), 2021, 2022 (2nd), 2023
 * King Philip Regional High School – Wrentham, Massachusetts, 2002, 2007 (H.M.), 2010, 2024
 * Lexington High School – Lexington, Massachusetts, 1998 (H.M.), 1999, 2003, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2015 (3rd), 2016, 2017
 * Medfield High School – Medfield, Massachusetts, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014
 * Newton South High School – Newton, Massachusetts, 2018, 2021
 * Wellesley High School – Wellesley, Massachusetts, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011

Michigan

 * Byron Center High School – Byron Center, Michigan, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
 * Interlochen Center for the Arts – Interlochen, Michigan, 1998, 2003

Missouri

 * Grandview High School – Grandview, Missouri, 2007

Nebraska

 * Lincoln Southeast High School – Lincoln, Nebraska, 1999

New Jersey

 * Jazz House Kids – Montclair, New Jersey 2013 (2nd), 2014 (2nd), 2016, 2022
 * Parsippany High School – Parsippany, New Jersey, 1996
 * Newark Academy – Livingston, New Jersey 2012, 2015, 2017 (H.M.), 2018 (2nd), 2019, 2022, 2024 (1st)

New York

 * 315 All-Stars – Syracuse, New York, 2001 (1st), 2002, 2003 (H.M.)
 * Adlai E. Stevenson High School – Bronx, New York, 1996 (3rd)
 * Brentwood High School – Brentwood, New York 1996, 1997
 * Canandaigua Academy – Canandaigua, New York, 1996
 * Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music - Bronx, NY 2020
 * Eastman Youth Jazz Ensemble – Rochester, New York, 2003, 2005*, 2006*
 * Ethical Culture Fieldston School – Riverdale, New York, 1996
 * Honeoye Falls–Lima High School – Honeoye Falls, New York, 1996 (2nd), 1997 (H.M.), 2004, 2007
 * Honeoye Falls-Perinton Jazz Ensemble – Honeoye Falls, NY, 1999
 * Kingston High School – Kingston, New York, 2009
 * Laurens Central School – Laurens, New York, 1996
 * Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School – New York, New York, 1996 (1st), 1997 (2nd), 1998, 1999(1st), 2000 (H.M.), 2002, 2005, 2010
 * Miller Place High School – Miller Place, New York, 1996
 * Penfield High School – Penfield, New York, 1997, 1998, 1999
 * Rochester Area High School Jazz Ensemble – Honeoye Falls, New York, 2000
 * Susan Wagner High School – Staten Island, New York, 2023 (2nd), 2024
 * West Genesee High School – Camillus, New York, 1997
 * Williamsville East High School – East Amherst, New York, 1999, 2007

North Carolina

 * Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble – Raleigh, North Carolina, 2016 (2nd), 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024

Ohio

 * Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra – Columbus, Ohio, 2002
 * Lakota East High School – Liberty Township, Ohio 2012
 * Westerville South High School – Westerville, Ohio, 2004

Oregon

 * American Music Program Pacific Crest Jazz Orchestra - Portland, Oregon, 2007*, 2008*, 2009*, 2011*, 2013, 2015 (1st)
 * Arts & Communication Magnet Academy – Beaverton, Oregon, 2005

Pennsylvania

 * Pennsbury High School – Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, 1997 (H.M.)
 * State College Area High School – State College, Pennsylvania, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2009
 * Upper Darby High School – Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, 1998

Rhode Island

 * Barrington High School – Barrington, Rhode Island, 1998, 2000

Tennessee

 * Hume-Fogg High School – Nashville, Tennessee, 1998, 2010
 * Memphis Central High School - Memphis, Tennessee, 2020, 2021

Texas

 * Carroll Senior High School – Southlake, Texas, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021
 * High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Houston, Texas, 1999 (3rd)
 * Plano Senior High School – Plano, Texas, 2005, 2010
 * Plano West Senior High School – Plano, Texas 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
 * Stephen F. Austin High School – Austin, Texas, 2008
 * Temple High School – Temple, Texas, 2004, 2011

Utah

 * Crescent Super Band – American Fork, Utah, 2016

Virginia

 * Chantilly High School – Chantilly, Virginia, 1997, 1998
 * McLean High School – McLean, Virginia, 1997

Washington

 * Ballard High School – Seattle, Washington 2012, 2018
 * Battle Ground High School – Battle Ground, Washington 2006 (2nd)
 * Bothell High School - Bothell, Washington 2022, 2023, 2024
 * Edmonds Woodway High School – Edmonds, Washington, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2017
 * Garfield High School – Seattle, Washington, 1999 (H.M.), 2000 (H.M.), 2002 (2nd), 2003 (1st), 2004 (1st), 2005, 2006 (3rd), 2007, 2008 (2nd), 2009 (1st), 2010 (1st), 2013, 2014 (H.M.), 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024
 * Kentlake High School – Kent, Washington, 2001
 * Kentridge High School – Kent, Washington, 1999
 * Mead High School – Spokane, Washington, 2004, 2007
 * Mount Si High School – Snoqualmie, Washington 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022
 * Mountlake Terrace High School – Mountlake Terrace, Washington, 2000, 2002 (H.M.), 2005 (3rd), 2008, 2011 (3rd), 2012, 2017, 2018, 2020
 * Newport High School – Bellevue, Washington, 2001, 2006, 2009
 * Roosevelt High School – Seattle, Washington, 1999, 2000 (3rd), 2001 (2nd), 2002 (1st), 2004, 2005 (2nd), 2006, 2007 (1st), 2008 (1st), 2009 (2nd), 2010 (H.M.), 2011 (2nd), 2012 (2nd), 2013 (3rd), 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 (H.M.), 2019 (1st), 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
 * Seattle Jazzed Ellington Ensemble Seattle, Washington, 2020
 * Shorewood High School – Shoreline, Washington, 2000, 2001, 2005 (H.M.), 2008 (H.M.)
 * South Whidbey High School – Langley, Washington, 2008

West Virginia

 * Fairmont Senior High School – Fairmont, West Virginia, 1997

Wisconsin

 * Badger Union High School – Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 2009, 2012, 2013
 * Beloit Memorial High School – Beloit, Wisconsin, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 (H.M.), 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
 * North High School – Eau Claire, Wisconsin 2012
 * Memorial High School – Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009 (3rd), 2010
 * Middleton High School – Middleton, Wisconsin, 2019
 * Pulaski High School – Pulaski, Wisconsin, 2001
 * Sun Prairie Jazz Ensemble I (Sun Prairie West & East High Schools) – Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, 1998 (3rd), 2000, 2001, 2004 (3rd), 2008 (3rd), 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
 * Wauwatosa East High School – Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 2010

Canada

 * River East Collegiate – Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011


 * Community Band Winner

Composition Contest
In 2013, the Gerhard W. Vosshall Student Composition/Arranging Contest was added to the festival following a donation from the Vosshall family made in Gerhard's honor. The contest was renamed the "Dr. J. Douglas White Student Composition and Arranging Contest" in 2016. Each year, a winning composition is chosen from submissions sent from the US and Canada and is performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The winning composer receives a cash prize, a trip to the competition in order to conduct their piece and a composition lesson. The lesson was originally with Ellington historian David Berger, but shifted to JLCO saxophonist Ted Nash in 2015.