Originally posted on February 25, 2025.

The Boswell High School Jazz Orchestra has earned national recognition, receiving the prestigious Maestro Award in the National Youth Jazz Ensemble of Distinction. Only one high school and one middle school program in the country received this honor.

At the end of the 2023-2024 school year, the Boswell band directors submitted recordings of their jazz band for evaluation in the nationally adjudicated contest. The program recently learned of its top recognition, further cementing its growing reputation for musical excellence.

“I was excited for the students to see their hard work, attention to detail and talent lead to a national recognition,” Joshua Stover, Boswell Band Director said. “Sometimes the work that we do in rehearsals can seem like it goes unnoticed outside our walls. Many of the students in the jazz orchestra are also achieving at the top of their academic classes, so it can be a challenge to do what it takes to have phenomenal performances while also balancing academics, jobs and life as a teenager. Awards like these allow them to step into the spotlight and receive the praise they certainly deserve.”

As a result of this achievement, the Boswell Jazz Orchestra will receive a free workshop experience with a Medal of Distinction clinician, to be scheduled at a later date.

The Boswell jazz program has seen a surge in participation and excellence in the past year. The school now houses three performing jazz ensembles, regularly performs in the Saginaw-Fort Worth community, and is frequently contracted to provide live entertainment for organizations across the Fort Worth and Dallas areas.

“We have students who are learning new instruments to be involved in the jazz program and explore a genre of music that allows them to grow as musicians in a new way,” Stover said. “I would not be surprised at all if we look to expand to four jazz bands in the near future.”

As EMS ISD strategically focuses on ensuring personalized opportunities for all students, jazz programs begin at the middle school level. This begins to foster a love for jazz band in students before they ever reach high school.

“With the incredible training our middle school directors are giving to students, they are eager and enthusiastic to be a part of any and every ensemble opportunity they can,” Stover said. “We owe all of the success we enjoy in the Band of Gold to the phenomenal job our middle school feeder band programs are doing.”

We are #EMSproud of the Boswell High School Jazz Orchestra for being one of two programs nationally to receive the prestigious Maestro Award in the National Youth Jazz Ensemble of Distinction.