Skip to main content

South Jordan Journal

Bingham’s Jazz Dinner-Dance returns to its full program after COVID-19

May 08, 2023 01:56PM ● By Julie Slama

Bingham High jazz band, seen here in 2021, will perform at the school’s 16th annual Jazz Dinner Dance & Silent Auction on May 13. (Photo courtesy of Bingham High jazz band)

Come enjoy a night out, dining and dancing to a top-rated high school jazz band.

Bingham High’s 16th annual Jazz Dinner Dance & Silent Auction will be Saturday, May 13. It begins with dinner being served at 6 p.m. and the night wraps up at 9 p.m. The event will be held in the main foyer at JATC South, 12723 Park Ave., Riverton. 

Tickets are $25 for the dinner and dance or $12 for adults for the dancing or watching the program and $6 for students. Dinner options are roast beef or chicken with Alfredo penne pasta. Tickets are available online at https://binghamathletics.com/partner/28/event/319/buy-tickets. Dress is business casual.

The night will include music by the school jazz band as well as The Phoenix Jazz & Swing Band. In addition, there will be performances by the school’s ballroom team and Madrigals.

“The whole event is to supplement the band program,” dinner dance chair Maria Tegtmeier said. “It benefits the students, from repairing instruments to purchasing music. Since it is for all the band students, every student has an assignment from playing to hanging posters to serving to make this event successful and fun for the whole family.”

This is the first time since pre-COVID-19 that the event has returned to its original format. It wasn’t held in 2020 and the last two years, dinner wasn’t served.

“I’ve helped for three years and so it will be good to get it back to where everyone can enjoy the program,” Tegtmeier said. “I really enjoy the camaraderie and watching families have fun.”

This year’s silent auction items include a Red Butte Gardens membership, Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy and Hale Center Theatre in Orem tickets, an Anniversary Inn gift certificate, Boondocks gift cards as well as local restaurant gift certificates, homemade quilts and several themed baskets. There is online bidding available from May 13 through 6 p.m., May 15 at binghamminers.org. 

Donations to the band program also are accepted at that link.

Bingham High’s band program, under the direction of Darin Graber, has 137 students, all but five are part of this year’s marching band, which was the second largest in school history.  The school jazz band and wind symphony both have received superior ratings the past three years; this year, percussion placed third at Utah percussive arts society. Eight band students were selected for the all-state band and three to the intermountain tri-state band symposium.

More information can be found at https://www.binghamminers.org > Activities > Bands.  λ