Pella’s award-winning jazz ensemble is about to embark on their winter season of festival competitions and performances.

Isaac Piersma is the drummer for Pella Jazz I, and tells KRLS News he looks forward to performing with the ensemble, and this year’s group has a lot of returning talent, which has allowed them to perform more challenging selections.

“I’m really excited about not only stuff like jazz championships, State contest, Hoover Jazz Fest, and different things we perform at, it’s also exciting with some of the music we get.”

He says the focus for him is always having the best possible performance, and while it’s fun to compete, the music itself is always a priority.

“When we’re performing and having fun, there’s nothing better then that, because we have great musicians,” he says. “We work well together, and so it’s awesome to have that during a performance of sometimes you hear us say ‘yeah, man!’ and different things like that just because we are enjoying the music.”

Piersma was selected as an alternate in the Jazz Band of America, an elite ensemble made up of some of the best high school musicians in the country. Hear more with Piersma on today’s Let’s Talk Pella. The Pella Jazz I and II bands will perform at the annual state contest in Oskaloosa on January 26th.