Mark Jurek directs the Soldotna High School Band at a rehearsal on Oct. 11, 2022, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Mark Jurek directs the Soldotna High School Band at a rehearsal on Oct. 11, 2022, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Jazz, swing and cheesecake

SoHi brings back annual band and choir fundraiser

A special fundraising concert for the Soldotna High School music department will be held on Valentine’s Day, with cheesecake, coffee and hot chocolate served to attendees in the SoHi auditorium as jazz and swing music is performed by students onstage.

The fundraiser is a tradition that band director Mark Jurek said was started by one of his predecessors.

“People have expected it,” he said. “It generally is one of our biggest actual fundraisers.”

It was successfully held last year for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Jurek said the band and choir are excited to take that experience and “boost it up.”

The fundraiser concert is “an all-hands-on-deck sort of thing,” he said.

The SoHi Jazz Band and Swing Choir will be performing onstage, as well as some soloists. There will be a serving crew moving through the auditorium throughout the show — delivering desserts and beverages directly to seats.

Music played will cover a variety of jazz styles, and a wide range of years, Jurek said. Glenn Miller’s 1939 track “In The Mood” will be featured, as well as modern songs, “some fun funk songs” and swing music.

“There’s gonna be something that most people will come out of the concert going ‘oh, I really like that,’” Jurek said.

The auditorium will be set up with tables on the backs of chairs, Jurek said, which limits the capacity, but will make for a fun experience.

Annual fundraisers like Jazz and Dessert allow the music department to afford transportation, instrument repair, uniforms and other maintenance costs.

“It helps us to be able to continue to provide quality equipment for our kids here,” Jurek said.

Tickets can be purchased either by calling Soldotna High School’s office at 907-260-7000 or at the door. One can be purchased for $15, or four can be purchased for $50. The show will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

For more information about the Soldotna High School Band, including upcoming performances, visit facebook.com/SoldotnaHSBand.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in Life

Brewers from Turnagain Brewery hand a freshly filled cup to an attendee at the 10th Annual Frozen River Fest in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Frozen RiverFest marks 10 years celebrating brews

Breweries return to Soldotna Creek Park for 10

Jackson Hooper, Oshie Broussard, Belle Morris and Kincaid Jenness perform “Shakespeare Abridged” during the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Drama, Debate and Forensics Invitational at Soldotna High School on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘Theater for theater kids who want to take it a bit more seriously’

Peninsula students compete at Soldotna DDF invitational.

Creamy pasta is served with smoked salmon and Parmesan. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A dish for the mourning

Smoked salmon fettuccine served in a time of grief.

Artwork by Anastasia Clyde is seen as part of the inaugural exhibition of “Spirit of Soldotna: Showcasing Student Art” in Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna opens student art showcase in city hall

The ongoing exhibition is a collaboration between Soldotna and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and Kenai Peninsula College.

tease
Off the shelf: Paradise versus privilege

“The Garden Against Time” is part of the Homer Public Library’s 2025 Lit Lineup.

Poopdeck Street, in Homer, became a reality in 1996, honoring Clarence Hiram “Poopdeck” Platt. (Clark Fair photo)
Poopdeck: Nearly a century of adventure — Part 1

Clarence Hiram Platt — who preferred to have people call him Poopdeck — may have been slowing down, but he rarely stopped moving.

File
Minister’s Message: Is it worth the risk?

What good is momentary fame, wealth, or admiration if it ultimately costs us what matters most — our soul?

The Ridgeway Rounders perform during Frozen RiverFest on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2023, at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
10th Frozen RiverFest set for Saturday

The event will feature 19 breweries.

The Middle School Battle of the Books Team from Homer Connections, who won the district competition in February, stand for a photo. (Provided by Districtwide Librarian Julie Gottfried)
District Battle of the Books teams ready for state competition

Battle of the Books is an annual celebration of reading and teamwork.

Most Read