On Saturday April 18th, MHS’s very own Swing Choir and Jazz A Band competed in the 7th annual National Jazz Festival. This competition features high schools, middle schools and colleges from all over the nation who gather in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to perform and showcase jazz and vocal jazz musicians and ensembles from around the nation. 

Swing Choir won second place in its division, competing among 12 other schools from across the tri-state region. Mr. Timothy Hooker, director of the Jazz A Band, also won the 2026 Jazz Educator Award, which recognizes excellence within jazz education. 

Swing Choir is a 12-person ensemble run by Mrs. Anne Crozier. Members of Swing Choir learn various styles of vocal jazz and use microphones to refine their technique. When interviewed about Swing Choir, Mrs. Crozier said, “Moving from ‘good’ to ‘great’ is the hardest work, but this group was motivated, supportive, and genuinely enjoyed making music together.” When asked about a highlight of the festival, Mrs. Crozier said, “My favorite part of the festival was receiving feedback from the judges right after our performance. They commented on the group’s passion and energy, and they also complimented our song choices.” 

Clara Selber (’27) said, “My favourite part was being able to watch Jazz Band and see their set come together, especially how excited they were, including Mr. Hooker.” 

For Swing Choir, the day primarily consisted of watching other vocal jazz groups perform. Later that night at the awards ceremony, it was announced that Swing Choir had won second place in their division. Everyone cheered, and they received a trophy. Reflecting back on the moment, Selber said, “I was very proud of us, especially because we had worked so hard for it. Most importantly we had fun doing it and we gave it our all, and it felt good for the judges to recognise that.” 

Jazz A Band is an advanced jazz ensemble led by Mr. Hooker that currently consists of 17 members and includes many instrumentalists such as trombonists, saxophonists, bassists, and drummers. Jazz Band often performs at many high-level jazz competitions around the county, and the National Jazz Festival is one of Jazz Band’s biggest competitions. 

When asked about Jazz Band’s preparation for the competition, Mr. Hooker said, “Working with the Jazz Band has always been so much fun for me. We get to see a project go from the ‘ground up’ and then share it with other music programs around the Northeast and the country.” 

This year was a little different for Jazz Band, especially when it came to demonstrating their musical talent. Leo Federspiel (’26) said, “This was the first year at the National Jazz Festival in Philadelphia in which we had to rehearse sightreading, which created an unpredictable and rewarding component of the experience.” When asked about a favorite experience at the festival, Federspiel said, “My main highlight was receiving the medal for my performance with the Instrumental Jazz Combo. It felt great to have my hard work affirmed by judges at the festival.” 

Additionally, Mr. Hooker responded, “My favorite part of the festival was seeing Swing Choir get up on stage and share their set with a new audience. The Jazz Band members in the house supporting the singers was truly special.” 

Mrs. Crozier also helped coordinate a nomination of  Mr. Hooker for the 2026 Jazz Educator  Award with the help of students and faculty from MHS. When the award was announced, everyone from Mamaroneck was very excited for Mr. Hooker, given that it was his last National Jazz Festival. 

Thinking back to the awards ceremony, Mr. Hooker said, “I have dedicated so much of my life to teaching and making music but to be recognized for the work [and] efforts at the National Festival was really ‘icing on the cake.’” 

Selber additionally recalled, “It was the loudest of cheers when his name was called and you could even see a few tears. [I] am so sad to see him leave, [and] he has had such an important impact on my life along with all of his current and former students.” 

Mrs. Crozier added, “Mr. Hooker is incredibly humble and never seeks recognition, but he is so deserving of it. ”

All in all, the 2026 National Jazz Festival brought valuable learning experiences for both ensembles. When it came to major takeaways from the festival, Ms. Crozier said, “Events like this are powerful for building community, strengthening musicianship, and gaining new perspectives.” 

Selber commented, “I think the biggest takeaway is the progress and work that Swing has shown. We’ve really come far as a group and are very proud of the new members. ” 

Finally, Mr. Hooker remarked, “Young people need to continue to have opportunities to share what they do at a high level with other amazing programs to keep in check on what is possible and how things can be. ” 

With this many accolades, it’s clear to see that the jazz ensembles at MHS are truly committed to excellence in competitive jazz performances.