Tauranga Jazz Festival - 2012 National Youth Jazz Competition - Baycourt - Tauranga Girls College Big Band - Abbie Smith, far left. BOP 07Apr12 - ALL THAT JAZZ: Abbie Smith (left), of Tauranga Gi
Two Tauranga big bands took home gold awards at the 37th National Youth Jazz Competition.
Nine schools from around the North Island competed in the big band section of the competition at Baycourt Theatre yesterday.
The standard was so high the judges awarded four gold awards. They went to Tauranga
Girls' College Big Band, Tauranga Boys' College Big Band, Trident High Big Band and Pukekohe High Stage Band.
The Pukekohe High Stage Band took out the competition and were awarded the New Orleans Trophy for the Most Outstanding Big Band.
Dr Rodger Fox from New Zealand School of Music, Wellington drummer and percussionist Lauren Ellis and Christchurch Polytechnic Jazz School tutor and trombonist Scott Taitoko judged the competition.
