Surrey and White Rock students sweep 18 awards and six scholarships at the 2026 Surrey Schools International Jazz Festival.
Surrey & White Rock Students Hit High Notes at Jazz Festival
Surrey and White Rock secondary students turned the spotlight on their talent this year at the 2026 Surrey Schools International Jazz Festival, walking away with an impressive 18 awards and six scholarships. The festival, one of Canada’s largest showcases for young jazz musicians, welcomed performers from 40 secondary schools across British Columbia.
Semiahmoo Secondary Steals the Show
Semiahmoo Secondary led the charge, claiming a whopping 10 awards—four junior and six senior honours. Highlights included Outstanding Performance for Senior Jazz Combo, Rhythm Section, Piano Player, and Auxiliary Percussion.
Individually, Chloe Huang and Annie Zang earned recognition as Senior Musician and Bassist, along with $500 scholarships from Gallacher Investments Inc. and the Peninsula Arts Foundation. Classmate Sakura Anzai also received the William & Alice Singular Memorial Scholarship, adding to the school’s remarkable haul.
Grandview Heights and École Salish Shine
Grandview Heights Secondary picked up three awards, celebrating student achievements in Junior Saxophone, and Junior/Senior Trumpet and Trombone categories.
Meanwhile, École Salish Secondary students earned accolades in Junior/Senior Rhythm Section and Guitar Player categories. Ethan Watkins also received a scholarship courtesy of Gallacher Investments, highlighting the school’s growing jazz reputation.
Fraser Heights, Guildford Park & Queen Elizabeth Stand Out
At Fraser Heights Secondary, Teddy Park won for Junior Lead Trumpet Player, while Ana Nikl secured a $650 full tuition scholarship to the VSO School of Music Summer Jazz Workshops.
For Junior/Senior Jazz, Guildford Park Secondary’s Ethan Ezennia and Queen Elizabeth Secondary’s Eric Do won awards for Drummer and Piano Player, respectively. Earl Marriott Secondary’s Anette Forbes earned a $500 scholarship from the Peninsula Arts Foundation, honouring the late South Surrey band teacher, Lorna Graham.
A Celebration of Young Jazz Talent
The 2026 festival once again proved that Surrey and White Rock are home to some of the province’s brightest young jazz stars. With so many awards and scholarships awarded, these students not only celebrated their musical skills but also set a high bar for future jazz competitions.
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