"We had a record number of registrations. Due to this, we added an extra day to cater for the 18 combos and 14 big bands performing," he said.
"The standard of performances is incredibly high, with jazz becoming a popular part of the New Zealand school music curriculum. The students blew us away again this year with their musicality and their enthusiasm."
Orewa College students, aged between 14 and 17, performed to a full auditorium at Baycourt yesterday. Orewa College music teacher Catherine Peake was pleased with how the group of students performed.
"They did really well, they played the best they could have and with a lot of energy," she said.
The group performed a 20-minute session and then were given a 15-minute feedback workshop from two of the judges; Dewayne Pate and Mike Booth, something Peake said was "valuable" for the students.
She described the Jazz Festival as the "full package" where students were able to perform, receive feedback and listen to other jazz bands.
41st National Youth Jazz Competition Award Winners:
Best of Festival Trophy - Most outstanding jazz band – Pukekohe High School
New Orleans Trophy – Most Outstanding Big Band – St Andrews College
Most outstanding young musician – George Rawiri Trophy: Shennazar Sta Lucia
Big Band Gold Award – Trident High School, Tauranga Boys' College, St Andrews College, Auckland Grammar School, Pukekohe High School
Big Band Silver Award – Rongotai College, Otumoetai College, Orewa College, Whangaparaoa College, Wellington College and Wellington Girl's College, Avondale College, Long Bay College, St Paul's Collegiate, St Peter's College
Best Jazz Combo – Norman Family Trophy – Tauranga Girls' College and Katikati College/Thomas the Tank Engine
Combo Gold Award – Wellington High School/Island Birdie, Tauranga Boys' College/Kai Time, Tauranga Girls' College and Katikati College/Thomas the Tank Engine, Kerikeri High School Combo, Auckland Grammar School Combo, Tauranga Boys' College/Mason Jar.
Combo Silver Award – Whangaparaoa College/Andyson, Wellington High School/In Limbo, Pukekohe High school/PHS Quintet, Wellington College/WC Combo, Avondale College/Avcol's Blue Note Combo, Avondale College Jazz Combo, Sacred Heart College/Sacred Cyclones, Avondale College/52 Street Combo, Paraparaumu College/PC Jazz Band, St Andrews College/StAC Jazz Combo
SOUNZ Trophy - Best Performance of a New Zealand Composition: Rongotai College
Award for Innovation – Derek Jacombs Trophy: Kerikeri High School
Best Original Composition – Ken Mitchell Trophy: Ben Lerner/Auckland Grammar 'Kajumba.'
Best Saxophonist – Yanagisawa Trophy: Ben Lerner /Auckland Grammar
Most outstanding Bassist – P & S Penman Trophy: Louie Campbell/Katikati College
Most outstanding Drummer – Hill/Wilcock Trophy: Harper Wilson /Wellington High School
Most outstanding Guitarist – Mayers Music Centre Trophy: Finlay Burke/Tauranga Boys' College
Most outstanding keyboard player – Bay City Music Trophy: Gena Gray/Tauranga Girls College/Katikati College
Most outstanding pianist – Bill Hoffmeister Trophy: Troy Weenink/Tauranga Boys' College
Most outstanding trombonist – Rodger Fox Trophy: Serge Beaton/St Andrews College
Most outstanding trumpet or flugel – Edwina Thorne Trophy: Angus Rainey/St Andrews College
Most outstanding Big Band drummer – Lauren Ellis Trophy: Joeal Mita/Trident High School
Most outstanding vocalist – Dave Feehan Trophy: Shennazar Sta Lucia
Most outstanding clarinettist – Tom Bayliss Trophy: Gillian Toala/Kerikeri High School
Most outstanding flautist – Errol Christiansen Trophy: Keeson Treacher-Perkins/Wellington High School
Best First Year Performance Band – Dennis Huggard Trophy: St Peter's College
