Harold Danko doesn't like contests, but encourages his jazz students to submit their work to them anyway.

Danko, chairman of the Eastman School of Music's Jazz and Contemporary Media Department, Rochester, N.Y., knew that several of his students had submitted entries to Down Beat magazine for its annual Student Music Awards, and kept on a magazine spokesman for word of how they did.

It turns out several of his students had won awards for their performances, arrangements and compositions.

"He said he had a surprise for me as well," said Danko, a Brookfield native.