The William Byrd Middle and High School Jazz Bands performed at the annual Jazz and Pasta Dinner fundraiser held at Thrasher Memorial on May 26. The dinner was sponsored by the William Byrd Band Boosters, led by Robin Geisler.
Well over 300 guests packed the fellowship hall for the dinner concert featuring the seventh and eighth grade and high school jazz bands, led by band directors Denise Aspell and Dan Plybon.
The seventh grade jazz band currently has 22 members; the eighth grade band, 15 members, and the high school jazz band has over 20 musicians. They perform not only in school concerts, but in the community at such events as the Dogwood Festival featured on the Market Stage.
At their recent Spring Concert, Plybon announced that the jazz bands had scored all Superior ratings on their Roanoke County Concert Band Assessment (similar to the SOL’s) but performing as a group and publicly.
Proceeds from the dinner go each year to band supplies and operations.
