By Alexis McCarney ’25, staff writer

Over winter break, seven students from the LVC’s Valley Jazz Orchestra traveled to perform at the JENerations Jazz Festival in New Orleans.

This trip allowed the students to be immersed in jazz for three days and receive feedback on their music from a panel of established jazz musicians.  In addition to performing, the students attended Jazz Education Network’s annual conference and concerts.   

“We performed in one of the smaller rooms to be judged by two professional jazz musicians,” David Graff, a vibraphone player, said. “Our septet (the group of seven) had all our instruments on a small, raised platform and we played for a very small crowd and our judges. This was all in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which is where the conference was held.” 

Dr. Morell, professor of music composition and theory and jazz, also attended the trip and had the opportunity to perform on the last night of the event in front of thousands of people with the John Daversa Jazz Orchestra. Morell has attended the conference before, but this was his first time since he began teaching at LVC, as well as his first time in New Orleans.    

“I was very impressed by the culture of the city, especially its reverence for great jazz musicians and its unique cuisine,” he said. “[The] students did a fantastic job at their performance, and I was so impressed with how much they immersed themselves in the experience.” 

The participants in this trip have had life-changing musical experiences.  

“The experience was great,” Graff said. “Non-stop music, riding elevators with jazz legends, hanging out with friends, and walking the streets of New Orleans for food and more music.” 

The group was comprised of alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, vibraphone, bass and drum-set.