Area singers compete at jazz festival

FAIRFIELD – More than 1,000 students, parents and others attended this weekend’s 2006 Maine Vocal Jazz Festival held at Lawrence Middle and High schools, with top honors going to Maine Central Institute, Nokomis Regional High School, Somerset Valley Middle School, Stearns High School, Houlton High School and Fryeburg Academy.

More than 38 schools from throughout the state participated, with jazz choirs performing on the stage at Williamson Auditorium while the show choirs performed in the Lawrence Middle School gymnasium.

After two full days of performances, the final results late Saturday were:

Division 1 Middle School Show Choirs: 1. Houlton Middle School; 2. Caribou Middle School; 3. Sebasticook Valley Middle School, Hartland.

Division 2 Middle School Show Choirs: 1. Somerset Valley Middle School, Newport; 2. Peninsula CSD; 3. a tie between Millinocket and Wagner Middle schools.

Division 1 High School Show Choirs: 1. Nokomis Regional High School, Newport; 2. Hampden Academy; 3. Lawrence High School.

Division 2 High School Show Choirs: 1. Stearns High School, Millinocket; 2. Houlton High School; 3. Ellsworth High School.

Division 1 Jazz Choirs: 1. Fryeburg Academy; 2. Nokomis Regional High School; 3. a tie between Skowhegan High School and Bangor High School.

Division 2 Jazz Choirs: 1. Maine Central Institute, Pittsfield; 2. Cheverus High School, South Portland; 3. Old Orchard Beach High School.