Jazz Students Excel at Festival by Douglass Dowty '05
			An ensemble of six Conservatory jazz students was deemed "outstanding" at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival in Elmhurst, Ill., during the weekend of February 22. The Oberlin group includes Nick Lyons '04 from Leonia, NJ (alto saxophone); Alex Shepherd '04 from Scituate, MA (tenor sax); Andrae Murchison '04 from Savanna, GA (trombone); Rob Schwartz '04 from Toledo, OH (drums); Brendan Cooney '02 from Brookville, IN (piano); and Matt Asti '02 from Warwick, NY (double-bass). Guest Adjudicator Chris Vadala told the Oberlin six: "You are all a credit to a wonderful music school and jazz program. Yours was a very polished and enjoyable performance with lots of energy and confidence." The festival featured more than 30 jazz ensembles hailing from colleges and universities nationwide. The judges’ decision to select Oberlin’s group as outstanding was announced at the end of the event, but Oberlin students also won individual honors throughout the weekend. Pianist Cooney, trombonist Murchison, and saxophonists Shepherd and Lyons were all singled out as excellent soloists. The Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, now in its 35th year, is an annual three-day event at which big bands and small ensembles from schools throughout the Midwest come to participate. Professional judges offer constructive critiques of each performing group, conduct clinics and perform in concerts. This year's judges included Tim Hagans, Frank Mantooth, and Chris Vadala, all established leaders in the fields of jazz composition, performance and teaching.
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