Battle Ground High trumpet player wins pair of soloist awards

Battle Ground: A Battle Ground High School trumpet player won soloist awards at two recent jazz festivals. Sophomore Steve Montecucco won awards at the Next Generation Jazz Festival in California on March 30 and the Charles Mingus Jazz Festival in New York City on Feb. 16. Montecucco and other students traveled to the competitions with the American Music Program Jazz Band. Other Battle Ground trumpet players who attended the competitions include: Battle Ground High School juniors Mandy Quinn and Matthias Tyni, and Chief Umtuch Middle School eighth-grader Tyler Barnes.