Selection to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic is like winning the Superbowl as a band director.  No jazz ensemble from Arizona had ever been selected in over 60 years. Deer Valley Performance Jazz Ensemble became only the 10th ensemble from Arizona to ever be selected at the time

Chicago, IL

To showcase the talent of the ensemble preparation. This video is a true sight reading of Matt Harris' Beijo Innocente.  Not knowing what would come out, we simply allowed the students talents to speak for itself. Please enjoy. 

On January 6th, 2008, Jasmine Bowden, a 16-year-old student from Deer Valley High School, died in a bus crash while returning from a ski trip in Telluride, Colo.  She was the drum major. The jazz band had been selected to perform at the Arizona Music Educators Conference later that month.  School shut down, the band shut down, it was not something that and band program or family should have to live through.

The students wanted to dedicate the ballad “My Romance” to her memory