The outstanding talent of local musicians from Columbia Falls and Whitefish high schools was recognized at the 35th Annual Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival at the University of Montana.

Whitefish High School senior saxophonist Rmi Strauser was presented with the first-ever Buddy DeFranco Outstanding Soloist award, given to one outstanding high school woodwind soloist in memory of the great bebop clarinet player.

DeFranco, who died December 2014, was considered one of the top jazz clarinetists in the world, winning 20 Downbeat Magazine Awards, nine Metronome Magazine Awards and 16 Playboy All-Stars Awards. DeFranco also had ties to Northwest Montana, having spent many summers living with his wife in their Whitefish home.

Saxophonist Strauser also received an outstanding soloist award for that instrument. Other local winners for outstanding soloist were Whitefish junior guitarist Annika Gordon and Columbia Falls High School senior vocalist Meredith Stolte.

Columbia Falls High School’s rhythm section in the Columbians jazz band was recognized with a Best Section Big Band award.

Forty-six middle-school, high-school and college jazz ensembles comprised of about 900 student musicians from Montana and Washington participated in this year’s festival. Six outstanding soloists and several best sections were recognized over the two-day festival held March 26-27. Student ensembles gave 30-minute showcase performances, followed by clinics with professional jazz artists and professors from across the nation.

Students also attended improvisation clinics, workshops, critiques and instrument-specific master classes with guest artists.

The festival culminated with a performance by the Best Section big bands and Outstanding Soloists along with festival guest artists and the University Of Montana Jazz Ensemble on the Dennison Theatre stage.

Mark McCrady is the band instructor at Whitefish. Strauser’s private instructor is Erica Von Kleist, while Gordon is a student of Christian Johnson. Karen Ulmer is the band instructor and Beth Benton the choir instructor at Columbia Falls.