This past weekend, the Oviedo High School (OHS) band hosted their first annual Jazz Gala at the Oviedo Cultural Center to a very positive reaction.

The Gala included food, live music from the Jazz Band, and a fun silent auction with items such as Epic Universe tickets, University of Central Florida football game tickets, artwork, and much more. 

“This is our first time doing it, hosting the Jazz Gala. But I’m really happy that we get to play jazz in the background and just have a good time,” Sae’vyon Hodge, a senior trombone player in the band, said.

And have a good time, they did. The Jazz Ensemble went above and beyond, having a total of eight pieces, not including smaller ensembles, known as jazz combos.

“Jazz combos are a newer thing for this program, and that’s totally okay, you know?” said Adrian Font, senior, who is the woodwind captain and first Tenor Saxophone in the ensemble.

The soloists of the night were a particular highlight. They put their heart and soul into every piece that was played.

“Because whenever you’re playing for people, you’re not going to be thinking about, ‘Oh, I got to play the flat 9 over this chord, I got to play this certain Brecker lick over this 2-5-1,’ you know? You’re supposed to just let go and play what you feel,” Font said. He was one of the main soloists and combo-makers of the night.

The smaller acts were just as big of a hit. The Gala sold approximately 75 tickets. For such a small venue, the large sales were impressive. 

“[The gala] raises quite a bit of money, which is great for us,” said Zachary Chowning, director of the bands at OHS.

Chowning is at the head of it all. He has a large array of music experience in many genres, and he can always curate a performance that the whole community is sure to love.

“I was learning a lot on the way, but it’s always been something I’ve been very passionate about. It’s upbeat. It’s exciting. It’s different,” said Chowning, when asked about his thoughts on jazz and his career.

Overall, OHS’s first annual Jazz Gala was a huge success, bringing in a large profit between the silent auction and seventy-five ticket sales. There are sure to be more jazz-related events going on around the school and in the community, such as morning performances and Winter Showcase in December, along with Jazz Gala becoming an annual fundraiser for the program.