Aragon’s jazz ensemble joined Hillsdale’s in the Little Theater to perform their annual Double Exposure concert on Jan. 16 from 7-8 p.m. About 100 people attended to watch the 20-25 students in each school’s band. Hillsdale students, conducted by Michael Galea, played more traditional jazz songs featuring a student duet after Aragon’s band played a mix of Disney and upbeat jazz numbers.
“It’s always really nice to be able to hear other groups. At Aragon concerts, I’m hearing myself and other groups full of people that I know really well,” said senior trumpet player Trevor Johnson. “At Hillsdale, there’s a lot of things they do that are really surprising, but they’re also really cool and impressive and inspiring.”
Through their combined performance, the opposing groups were able to influence one another.
“[We exposed] our band to Hillsdale’s band and we were showing all the techniques that we’ve learned,” said freshman tenor saxophone player Erik Dodge. “We just get to hear each other and learn from it.”
The concert also served to share different styles of jazz with the public.
“It’s about the community and the collectiveness of the two schools coming together,” said sophomore trumpet player Geoffrey Nelson. “We produce this underappreciated jazz music and we’re infusing it into the community.”
Though the two bands both play jazz, there were many differences in the types of songs each ensemble performed.
“In general, [Hillsdale’s band] goes for traditional stuff, but they’re not afraid to do things with it,” Johnson said. “ Our songs are not as traditional, but we just stay in the middle between those extremes.”
The small size of the ensembles enables musicians to display their individuality.
“I think jazz musicians [can connect] because of the soloing. You would have solos in symphonic [concerts] but the improv happens in jazz,” said Aragon parent attendee Shannon Dobbs. “I think that they can really inspire each other by hearing other musicians from other schools.”
Many students got to perform individually. Junior saxophone player Sami Fayyad and trumpet soloists Trevor Johnson and junior Ella Tarara were a few of the main soloists.
“I’m used to practicing by myself or with a smaller group. Here, I’m able to play with a larger group, but I still have that individual expression,” Johnson said. “I think it’s really cool to be able to be in front, but still be a part of the band, as its feature.”
Aragon’s current band director, Kevin Gallagher, created the Double Exposure concert with Aragon’s former band director, Troy Davis, 15 years ago.
“We both wanted to share the stage and play with someone else,” Gallagher said. “Our bands will compete, but not at [Double Exposure]. We do go to the same competitions, too, so that’s the time to compete.”
Every year, the concert venue alternates between the Aragon and Hillsdale theaters. This was the first year it was hosted in Hillsdale’s Little Theater, as they were previously held in the larger Hillsdale Theater. Gallagher was excited to play in the new space.
“I think it’s better to be in the Little Theater because it’s a smaller space and it’s more intimate,” Gallagher said. “We’re in smaller groups so it won’t seem so empty as it would if it was in a larger theater.”
There were fewer performers and fewer audience members compared to the usual attendance at other concerts, making for a more personal experience. However, there were also some challenges that accompanied playing in a smaller, new location.
“The acoustics are just not going to be as good as in a space that are specialized for performances for listening. But when you’re playing in a bigger venue, in terms of being backstage, there is actual room and area to manage,” Johnson said. “There are small things like the lights were on the crowd the whole time and that makes a totally different environment.”
Some people’s favorite parts were not just about its music, but about the relationships between the musicians.
“[The best part was] meeting up with old Aragon friends and seeing how much they’ve improved on their instruments,” said sophomore Hillsdale jazz ensemble member Lizzie Manis.
Hillsdale and Aragon’s shared concert was an opportunity for students and parents alike to reconnect, as many students in the two bands attended the same middle schools.
“[My family and I] come here and we run into families that were at Borel middle school with us in jazz,” Dobbs said. “It’s fun to feel like we’re at a kind of reunion with the same middle school kids who’ve also continued on in jazz.”
New types of jazz were explored by joining the families and communities of Hillsdale and Aragon’s jazz ensembles at the annual Double Exposure concert. Next year, Aragon will host the Double Exposure concert.
