Lindero musicians win Reno

Matt McKagen The young musicians at Lindero Canyon Middle School in Agoura Hills and the teachers who guide them landed center stage at the Reno Jazz Festival on April 25, besting 31 middle schools from the western United States.

The school's Jazz "A" band, directed by Matt McKagen, won first place at the event. A panel of judges praised the band for its "excellent sound" and "outstanding student solos," McKagen said in a statement to The Acorn.

The band's bass player, Brennan Leininger, was named Outstanding Middle School Performer, and the school's Jazz "A" Combo Band, led by Matt Finders, claimed second place in the middle school combo category.

Eleven students also received certificates for outstanding musicianship, McKagen said.

The Jazz "A" band consistently earns awards year after year, but this year they captured the highest recognition.

"I feel so fortunate to always have fantastic kids in the band," McKagen said. "They work really hard. They're motivated and focused, and they have amazing and supportive parents."

McKagen himself is a supportive parent. He said it was "especially meaningful" to win the competition this year because his son Andrew is a member of the school band.

Brennan Leininger began playing the bass two years ago. He also plays piano, said his mother, Laura. His winning piece was "Bass of Operations."

"I was really excited," Brennan said. "I was backstage putting away my bass, so I didn't hear personally. Mr. McKagen and Mo Miller, (student guitar player) came and got me."

Laura Leininger called the school's Principal Ron Kaiser an "amazing advocate" for the arts. The school recently won the Bravo Award sponsored by the Music Center of Los Angeles County. The Bravo Award is given to teachers and schools for providing exemplary music and arts education. McKagen won the award as a music specialist 10 years ago.

"I know winning isn't everything, but it felt really good," said student and band member Duncan Murray.

The Reno Jazz Festival was started at the University of Nevada at Reno in 1962 and has grown to be one of the largest of its kind in the nation, with 10,000 participants this year, McKagen said. More than 300 big bands, combos and jazz choirs from middle schools, high schools, community colleges and universities competed for group and individual awards at the three-day event.

As a result of the first-place finish, Lindero was invited to play an encore performance at the Festival Showcase and Awards Ceremony in the University's Lawlor Events Center.

"I can't think of any event that would have been more competitive," McKagan said. "I'm extremely proud and thrilled that, considering the amazing competition, our students were awarded first place."