The members of Easily Distracted are feeling pretty jazzed since returning from the National Band Festival in Ottawa May 14, where they were awarded a gold standing.

The relatively small student jazz ensemble from Windsor, Nova Scotia had placed first at the Annapolis Valley Music Festival at Acadia University April 30, and first again at the Atlantic Band Festival at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax May 2, which earned them the national post.

“What the gold placement means is we excel in all aspects of our performance,” said trumpeter Kevin Barnes, who was also awarded an honorable mention for his contribution to the band. “To say we are among the best in Canada sounds a little weird being that we're a little band from Windsor,” he said.

But there’s nothing small about what this ensemble has achieved in the past few years. Along with creating a winning ensemble, five of six members also perform with the Four Seasons Community Orchestra whose conductor, Roger Taylor, has watched these young performers grow as musicians. Every member of the ensemble has studied music at Dorian Hall in Windsor and Taylor said everyone there is extremely proud of the band’s most recent accomplishment.

“This is an enormous encouragement for them,” Taylor said. “This validates all the time they've spent practicing when they could have been out doing other things.”

He added that their placement on a national level is also an honour for Windsor.

Just love to play: Barnes

Although jazz is the ensemble’s primary passion, Barnes said members just love to play. “We can all pretty much play any kind of music; whatever we can get our hands on.”

“They've learned so much by playing in the orchestra,” said one band member mom, Yvonne VanBlarcom who, along with husband John, chaperoned the Ottawa trip. She said the maturity of the members during their stay in Ottawa really surprised her.

“I thought being stuck together like that for days at a time would be difficult for them, but it has really done the opposite; they've become closer as a group and really respectful of the opportunity.”

After their adjudication indicated gold, VanBlarcom said the band was all smiles. “They were just thrilled. They tried to stay pretty calm, but they couldn't take the smiles of their faces for days.”

The trip cost the families upwards of $11,000 and although some funds had been donated, they really didn't have time fundraise. So despite arriving home travel weary, the band headed to the Legislature Building in Halifax May 23 to approach MLA Chuck Porter for some provincial funds.

VanBlarcom said since the band’s return, cash donations have been rolling in from a long list of organizations. “This kind of community backing has made the band realize how much support there is for them here,” she said. “The community really did step up to the plate and help.”

Valuable feedback

Beyond the thrill of placing gold, participating at a national festival was a rewarding experience for the band. “It's excellent we got gold and we're pretty pleased,” Barnes said. “The workshops were really great. We’ve learned from some of the best Canadian musicians.”

He added they received valuable feedback from adjudicator Ted Quinlan, a renowned jazz guitarist. The music festival included a plethora of ensembles, from concert bands to orchestras, from the high school and university level. Although Barnes said they didn't get to size up their competition, they did have the opportunity to watch some amazing talent such as his favourite, the Yamaha Symphonic Band from Japan.

As they reach the end of their high school years, this recent foray may be the pinnacle of their career together so far, but Easily Distracted show no signs of stopping.

“We're just going to keep on rehearsing and playing gigs,” Barnes said. They are booked already for a June 4 School Board function and have even accepted an offer to play at a wedding reception for the summer of 2009.

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