On Nov. 20, 2025, the LPC Music Department held its monthly Jazz Ensemble Concert on the Main Stage Theater at the Mertes Center for the Arts. This recital showcased the talents and skills of instrumentalists who want to expand their experience in performing and interpreting large-group literature in a big band style. The Jazz Ensemble is an audition-based class at LPC, listed as MUS 15.
The ensemble highlights not only the musicality of various jazz periods, but also how its students have evolved over the semester — how they’ve grown as musicians and individuals, and how the ensemble functions as a living, breathing entity. The performance is more than a musical event; it’s a celebration of student growth and a reminder that learning isn’t just about acquiring knowledge, but about development and continuous progress.
“The goal for the Jazz Ensemble is the same every year — to play great and to learn skills,” Said Mario Silva, the current LPC Jazz Ensemble director.
As an instructor and mentor, Silva aims to challenge his students. While they may have a general knowledge of how their instruments work, learning how to play and blend with other musicians is what they emphasize more. Silva intentionally selects difficult pieces, ones “above their level,” so students can learn and improve individually and collectively.
Unlike the other jazz-specialized groups on campus, such as Chamber Choir or BayBop, the Jazz Ensemble was the only featured group that night — consisting of 14 students arranged in three rows of instruments: saxophone, trombone, trumpets, cello, piano and drums.
Korben Reyes, a first-year music major at LPC, describes his experience in the ensemble.
“Being in the group not only has helped me improve my jazz reading ability, but it has also taught me how to practice more pieces at a faster rate, balance other music works and set another performance standard,” Reyes said. “In this group over the semester, I’ve made friends and talked with the other musicians about similar and different experiences, and joked throughout classes.”
The group’s chemistry and performance quality were tuned with each other over the semester, and it showed to the audience throughout the concert. Although it was not a full house, the room was filled with friends, families and jazz enthusiasts who applauded in celebration of the students’ talent.
“Concerts are, I do believe, a testament to group growth. Our first concert was three weeks into the semester, and it really drove us to be ready and prepared in a short amount of time,” Reyes said. “This last concert was about eight weeks ago from the last. I do believe that there has been a lot more growth and plenty of room for improvement.”
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TOP PHOTO: LPC’s jazz ensemble performing their second-to-last concert in the main stage theatre on Nov. 20. Their performance highlighted various periods of jazz music, combined with excitement to display their culmination of effort, met with applause from an enthusiastic crowd. (Photo by Sam Barnes/The Express)
Kiarra Bautista is a staff writer for The Express. Follow her on Instagram @KiarraFaithh.
