2021 Bitter Jester Winners & MVPs
Pictured with our winners are Highland Park City Councilman Adam Stolberg (blue shirt) and First Bank of Highland Park Executive Vice President of Finance, Dean Jukovich (checkered shirt). The City of HP is a major supporter of the Music Festival; First Bank of Highland Park is our Grand Finale Prize Money Title Sponsor.
2021 Grand Champions
Summer Drive
2021 Runners-Up
Pretoria
2021 Honorable Mention
The Adem Dalipi Band
2021 MVP Awards
This was the first year that the Bitter Jester Foundation for the Arts awarded MVP Players with beautiful custom made brass medallions designed by Christy Knapp & Nic DeGrazia and produced by Bennett Awards.
Pictured with our MVPs are 2021 Festival Emcees Nicolas DeGrazia and Meg Grunewald.
2021 MVP Vocalist
Hanna Worpell from Opening Day
2021 MVP Guitar Player
Peter Hanson from Venganza
2021 MVP Drums & Bass Players
Todd Kiefer & Dante Nottoli from Summer Drive
Todd also won a loaded prize bag courtesy of Guitar Center, Highland Park.
New Award Starting in 2021…
For the very first time we were proud to introduce the much overdue MVP Instrumentalist Award. Since we cannot have prizes for every conceivable instrument, we created a single “catch all” award that all other musicians are eligible for (i.e. anyone not Vocals, Guitar, Bass, or Drums).
For many years, had such an award existed, former competitor (and now member of our Education Team) Michael Brook would have won it for Saxophone.
It was only fitting that we named the award after him. Introducing the Michael Brook Outstanding Instrumentalist Award! We were so excited to award Michael Brook… with the first ever Michael Brook Award.
2021 MVP Sax Player
Michael Brook from Xazz, Caroline & The Priority, and Out of Pocket
This award was given retroactively to its namesake.
2021 MVP Keys Player
Aval Stanley from The Adem Dalipi Band
Aval was the first ever recipient of the Michael Brook Outstanding Instrumentalist Award (after Michael Brook).
People photography by Elliot Mandel.