Sterling High Jazz Band to headline First Friday concert downtown

Downtown Sterling gets a ready-made noon stop on Friday, May 1, when the Sterling High School Jazz Band will headline First Friday @ First Presbyterian from 12:05 p.m. to 12:35 p.m. at 130 South Fourth Street.

Under the direction of Shauna Snyder, the band will take the spotlight at First Presbyterian Church of Sterling, turning a half-hour concert into an easy community gathering for families, alumni, church members and anyone looking for a close-to-home reason to be downtown. The Logan County Chamber of Commerce listing also says the performance will be available online through the church’s Facebook page, extending the reach beyond the sanctuary.

What sets this apart from a routine school concert is the setting. First Presbyterian’s downtown sanctuary gives the performance a civic presence that a typical auditorium recital does not, placing Sterling High students in one of the city’s most visible public-facing spaces. That matters in a place where school programs, churches and downtown events often overlap to keep the local calendar active.

The First Friday series has deep roots in Sterling. Journal-Advocate coverage shows concerts were already being held at First Presbyterian by at least 2013, when pianist Nita Gillham was the first featured artist of that year’s series. A 2024-25 season announcement described First Friday @ First Presbyterian as the 27th season, underscoring that the program has become a long-running part of the community’s arts life rather than a one-off booking.

The Sterling High School Jazz Band has been part of that tradition before, with appearances in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Its return gives the band another public stage and gives downtown Sterling another midday event built around young performers, local institutions and a familiar venue.

First Presbyterian Church of Sterling is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the church has also used its YouTube channel for livestreams of First Friday and Sunday services. That online presence adds another way for residents to follow the program, but the main draw on May 1 will be in person: a short, free-standing concert in the center of town, led by a Sterling High ensemble with a track record in the series.