Writer / Renee Larr
Photography Provided
Trumpet great Louis Armstrong once said, “Each man has his own music bubbling up inside him.” Trumpet player Levi Rozek brings the music inside him to his high school and beyond. The Noblesville High School (NHS) junior started playing the trumpet in the sixth grade.
“At first I wanted to play the saxophone because my dad is a saxophone player,” Rozek says. “They made us try at least two other instruments, and I picked up the trumpet and loved it. I think at first my dad might have been a little disappointed, but I think he’s happy with it now.”
Rozek is a member of the concert band and jazz band at NHS. He even plays in a group bearing his moniker, the Levi Rozek Quintet. His dad is the group’s saxophone player, and it consists of musicians from the South Bend area. The quintet’s first show is on March 12 at Merrimans’ Playhouse.
Last summer Rozek participated in NYO Jazz, sponsored by the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City. The program brings together talented musicians aged 16 to 19 from across the nation, showcasing the future of jazz music.
“Unfortunately, due to COVID we couldn’t go on tour like usual, but we did record a full-length album which is a pretty cool alternative,” Rozek says.
Rozek’s natural talent landed him a spot in National YoungArts Week. The intensive program allows finalists and their peers to collaborate and hone their craft with leaders in the music industry.
“I am a finalist in the jazz category, and they choose one finalist per instrument,” Rozek says. “Essentially they make a jazz combo with a trumpet, alto, tenor, trombone, piano, drums and bass. The first couple of days we recorded some tunes virtually. Then we moved on to master classes.”
For all his hard work fine-tuning his performance, Rozek is receiving national accolades. He recently won Best Trumpet Solo at the 2021 National Jazz Festival.
“It’s kind of funny because my jazz band director found out about the National Jazz Festival about a week before and suggested we do a recording for it,” Rozek says. “We submitted the recording online and ended up winning, which was very cool.”
Rozek plans to continue playing trumpet and composing his own music. In the future he’d like to record an album to be released on all major streaming platforms. He started writing music shortly after he started playing the trumpet.
“It’s something that I love to do,” Rozek says. “It’s another creative outlet for me as a musician.”
In order to record an album, Rozek needs to compile music, acquire additional musicians and find a studio. It might seem daunting, but Rozek says he’s up for the challenge.
The talented young man can’t wait to share his music with the rest of the world.
Student Spotlight is sponsored by Kluth-Richardson Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
