The Newport Jazz Festival, held in Newport and founded in 1954, will be held this weekend and 12 Barrington High School students will perform at this internationally respected festival alongside their Jazz heroes. 

Last November students from around the state auditioned for the RI All State Jazz Ensemble, comprised of 18 high school students in grades 10 to 12, and in March the selected students performed a concert after rehearsals held throughout the winter. 

In addition to the March concert students are also given the opportunity to play at the Newport Jazz Festival by festival sponsor, Natixis, and executive director and founder of the festival, George Wein. 

Twelve of the 18 students performing in the elite ensemble are from Barrington High School. They are trumpeters Elena Serrano and Priyanka Bonifaz, trombonists Jack Armstrong, Christian Black and Jack Dunn, saxophonists Tim Hecker, James Winner, Sam Rockwell, Eliot Laidlaw and Mary Cowden, and drummers Erin Cowden and Kieran Egan. 

The band is directed by Artie Montanaro of Cranston and will feature guest artist John Allmark playing his own arrangements of jazz standards such as Embraceable You and Night in Tunisia. 

“These students are so lucky to be able to play this music and on the Newport stage. It is the opportunity of a lifetime," said band manager Barb Hughes.

In addition to their performance on Saturday the band will have a “Meet and Greet” with sax great Chris Potter and will receive free admission to the festival.

The festival takes place on Aug. 4, 5 and 6 and the RI Music Educators Association All State Jazz Ensemble will play Saturday, Aug. 5 at 11 a.m. on the Harbour Stage.