This weekend, South Whidbey’s award-winning band students will take the stage at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts to jazz the night away.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, Falcon alumni Ruari Keith on bass, Bjorn Jengel on drums and Ethan Heather Ford on keys will bring back some high school nostalgia by reuniting as the South Whidbey Jazz Trio.

The students will perform some of their own arrangements, with lots of improvising in the mix, according to their former teacher and director Chris Harshman.

The seasoned band teacher said one of the most rewarding feelings as a musician is returning from college to share new skills with old high school peers.

According to information provided by WICA, Keith is studying computer science at Shoreline Community College, Jengel is studying audio engineering at Shoreline Community College and Heather Ford, a WICA Bridge Family Scholarship winner, is studying jazz at Berklee College of Music.

At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, Harshman will lead 20 high school students playing saxophones, trombones, trumpets, clarinets, flutes, piano, bass, drums and vibraphone at WICA’s Let’s Groove: Jazz Night 2025 event.

The band, which Harshman said is recognized for being able to play at the highest level for high school, will bring sounds by jazz legends like Count Basie, Buddy Rich and Duke Ellington, as well as contemporary tunes, covering about 75 years of jazz music.

The students, who practice four days a week, are preparing to challenge about 60 middle and high school jazz ensembles at the Clark College Jazz Festival, a yearly contest that takes place on Jan. 30 in Vancouver, Washington. Last year, Harshman said, the band won first place. South Whidbey’s jazz band will also compete at the Pacific Lutheran University Weathermon Jazz Festival on March 18.

Harshman is particularly proud of his students, who have demonstrated talent and a strong work ethic.

“They are committed to working towards excellence,” he said. “They’re super talented on different instruments, which gives us opportunities to play music that’s more demanding in a lot of ways,” he said.

Tickets for both events can be purchased at wicaonline.org. WICA is located at 565 Camano Avenue in Langley. For more information, visit the website or call 360-221-8268.