By ANDREW GUTAUSKAS

The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra kicked off its portion of Juilliard's centennial tour on March 1, traveling to the Midwest, the West Coast, and the South. Despite aggravating delays and flight cancellations, the orchestra finally made its way to Appleton, Wis., greeted by cold weather and freezing rain. But we were warmly accommodated at the Candlewood Suites, in spacious rooms that included kitchens. There was also an Outback Steakhouse close by, to keep us continuously rewarded with Bloomin' Onions!

Juilliard jazz students Sharel Cassity, William Reardon-Anderson, Tatum Greenblatt, Chris Crenshaw, and Satoru Ohashi board the bus home from the jazz tour over spring break. (Photo by Victor Goines)

During our two-day stay in Appleton, the band gave two outstanding performances in the beautiful Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, located in Appleton's downtown area. The first performance, led by our jazz program's artistic director, Victor Goines, was an educational workshop presented for more than 1,000 middle- to high-school students from the area. During the workshop, members of the band got to show off some of the interesting features of each instrument. The band then showcased these various features in performance, playing a few selections from the standard jazz repertoire. The second of the two performances was a concert for the general public that was followed by a reception at Heid Music, a popular music store in the downtown area.

Involving another long and wearying journey, the second leg of the tour brought the orchestra to California. However, once we arrived at the San Diego Airport, the warm Southern California air rejuvenated our tired bodies. After an evening of much needed rest, the band was granted a day of leisure. Some members relaxed at the hotel, some met up with friends from the San Diego area, while others hopped on a downtown bus to take in some of the local sights like the San Diego Zoo.

After an engaging and invigorating day off, the orchestra went on to perform for an audience of 1,200 at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. It was a wonderful concert that featured works by Duke Ellington, Benny Carter, and even some student originals such as those by Yasushi Nakamura and Willie Applewhite. The evening was capped off with a guest appearance by Juilliard alumnus and jazz faculty member Wynton Marsalis, who sat in for two selections and gave an impressive performance.

After returning to New York City for a brief three-day break, our voyage then brought us to Aiken, S.C. Once there, the students were welcomed by their host families, with whom they would spend the next three days. We immediately felt the aura of Southern hospitality. Everywhere we went, we were greeted by a smile, and everyone was eager to share a little history lesson about Aiken. If there is one thing I learned, it is that Aiken is famous for training thoroughbred race horses and the townspeople aren't ashamed of it!

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The band gave its first performance that evening to a sold-out crowd and was joined by alumnus Chris Madsen, performing his own arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie's classic, A Night in Tunisia. The following day, members of the orchestra were led by trumpeter Brandon Lee, performing a master class in which middle school students were taught about jazz and improvisation. Later that day, we were treated to some of the best barbecue in the area and given a tour of Dogwood Stables, a thoroughbred horse training stable. It was great to get the inside scoop on which horses were going to be the big-money winners this year! That evening, we gave another great performance at the Washington Center Theater, which was followed by a jam session at the Southside Gallery. The band members played selected tunes, mingled with the guests, and even played with some of the local talent.

The following morning, members of the band were treated to a Southern breakfast that would have been fit for kings. It was the perfect breakfast to send us on our way back to New York and to wrap up the centennial spring tour for the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra. The entire tour was a wonderful experience, and a fine tribute to the excellence of Juilliard and its accomplishments in the past 100 years.

Baritone and alto saxophonist Andrew Gutauskas is an artist diploma candidate in jazz studies.