LC High School

Photo by Karen DeForest

LC Junior Blake DeForest and Dr. Pete Madsen on the University of Nebraska-Omaha Campus. "It is a pleasure to have Blake and LC represented in MAYJO." - Pete Madsen

LC Student makes Honor Jazz Ensemble

Blake DeForest makes MAYJO for 2009-2010

by Andy Walters

September 12, 2009

Blake Deforest is the first LC student to make the Metro Area Youth Jazz Orchestra (MAYJO). Blake, along with other students from Council Bluffs and Omaha Metro schools, auditioned for this group on all jazz instruments including trumpet, trombone, saxophone, bass, drumset, guitar and keyboards.

This is MAYJO’s seventh year as the premier high school honors jazz ensemble in the midwest. MAYJO is made up of the finest high school music students in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. MAYJO rehearses twice weekly on the UNO campus and performs several concerts each semester on campus and in the community. MAYJO is directed by UNO's coordinator of jazz studies, Dr. Pete Madsen assisted by UNO music faculty, students, and UNO artist-in-residence drummer Carlos Figueroa. Mr. Figueroa’s residency is sponsored by the Nebraska Arts Council and the UNO Department of Music.

At LCHS, Blake participates in Concert Band, Marching Band, all Jazz Ensemble offerings, Chamber Choir, Lewis Corporation, Drama Fall Play, All-School Spring Musical, Lewis Company Show Choir Band, the Omaha Blues Society on guitar, and maintains a 3.24 GPA. Blake has also won many awards as a soloist at several jazz competitions, including outstanding soloist for the day on trumpet at Bellevue East and SWIBA Jazz Contests. He is the son of Mike and Karen Deforest, and has an eighth grade sister; Brooke.