Sound the trumpets—or, rather, saxophones: Santa Maria High School advanced jazz ensemble won first place at the 27th annual Central Coast Jazz Festival, held on Feb. 27 at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo.
The Santa Maria Saints also won Best Saxophones, Best Trombones, Best Trumpets, and Best Rhythm Section; and Luke Rodriguez won Best Saxophone soloist.
“I’m really proud of them. They’ve worked really hard,” said band director Ulises Valdivia. “It’s a big thing for them, especially the seniors.”
Along with hard work and talent, Valdivia credited community support for the students’ success.
“I’ve been teaching 10 years, and this is the school that I’ve gotten the most support at,” he said. m
School Scene is compiled by News Editor Amy Asman. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Mar 11-18, 2010.