School collab marks memorial return

A LOCAL high school’s musical staff and students are preparing their third memorial concert for Ballarat Jazz Club’s former president Geoff Herkes.

For Ballarat High School’s performing arts department, the event will be their first dedicated concert since 2019 for Herkes, who passed the year prior.

The event will take place on Sunday, 31 July at Ballarat Golf Club, and Bryn Hills, the high school’s instrumental coordinator said it will honour Herkes’ contributions to both establishments.

“Geoff had the idea about 10 years ago to reach out to kids, who are of course the future of music and jazz,” he said.

“The Jazz Club’s clientele is of a more senior vintage so Geoff wanted to get our kids involved with an annual concert, and donated the profits to the school’s music program.

“Unfortunately, it’s now become a memorial event for Geoff, but his memory lives on and we carry on that legacy which is what this is about.”

The show is the school’s first major concert since the pandemic and includes three 45-minute sets.

The first two sets will feature over 20 students from years 8 to 12 performing jazz classics and standards, with the second act also including vocals from Dani Fry and Ashley Kelman.

Tribute band the Herb Albert Experience will cover the third set, and a backing band will provide support through the concert.

Improvisation will be key for the students, whom Hill said will learn a lot from their performance.

“There are so many different levels in terms of live playing, confidence-building, engagement with community and a real live rhythm section, creativity and composition,” he said.

“It ticks so many boxes. That’s another thing I love about this. It tests them in new and challenging ways with improvisation, which is what much of jazz is about.”

Tickets for the Geoff Herkes memorial concert are $5 for students, $10 for parents, $15 for Ballarat Jazz Club members and $20 general admission. To book, call 0456 689 123.