SHENANDOAH JUNCTION — Jefferson High School’s Jazz Band performs at the Millennium Stage the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C on Wednesday. They performed a preview for the “Essentially Ellington” Jazz Festival at Shenandoah University on May 2. A group of 29 students put together an hour and five-minute performance during this amazing opportunity.

John Lynch, Jefferson High School band director, talked about how it’s been a dream of his to have an ensemble perform at the Kennedy Center. He’s reached out in the past to try to make this happen, but it wasn’t until a representative from the Kennedy Center saw the band’s performance back in November that they received an invitation.

“I’ve been a director for 29 years and this has been one of the highlights of my career,” Lynch said. “The students have worked so hard, and I tell their parents all the time that they are the best of their generation. It couldn’t have happened to a better group of students.”

The students worked hard to prepare and make sure they put on their best performance. Many families and people from the community went to support the students. Lynch shared that the place was sold out and he didn’t think there was a single empty seat. Everyone wanted to support them and their dedication to music.

During their day at the Kennedy Center, the students were treated like professional musicians. Students explored the center in their free time and had their own room to relax as they waited for their concert to begin. They did sound check and worked with a professional camera crew who recorded their performance, which is now saved on the Kennedy Center’s archive.

Lynch talked about how he tried to help his students realize beforehand that this was a big deal, but it wasn’t until they got there that it really started settling in. Lynch’s favorite part of the whole experience was seeing the students enjoy the moment.

“I enjoyed watching them take it all in and realize, ‘Hey, you weren’t lying, this is a big deal,’” Lynch said. “Watching them walk around the center and watching them during the performance and have fun with their friends was great.”

Lynch is proud of all the students’ hard work. Their dedication and work ethic show through their performance.