The Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival in New York City wrapped up over the weekend. There were 15 bands from across the country competing, and festival director Wynton Marsalis explained that meant the pressure was on.
"Because there's so much love, there's so much energy and pain that goes into playing in these ensembles, and so much rehearsing early in the morning and late at night," Marsalis said. "And now you're on stage and you're nervous and you're trying to do the best you can do."
Three bands from Western Washington high schools made the finals this year: Mount Si, Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds-Woodway. And while none of those schools placed in the top three, Mount Si senior Greta Chappell says playing on the stage in Rose Hall meant more than winning top prize.
A complete list of all the awards handed out at the ceremony is here.
Mount Si High School performs "Rocks in my Bed"
Mountlake Terrace High School performs "Stay on It"
Edmonds-Woodway High School performs "It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing"
You can find other stories from the Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival here.
