UMass to Host High School, Collegiate Jazz Fests, April 4-5
UMass Collegiate Jazz Festival. Photo: iumass.edu
Source: UMass News and Media
The Jazz and African American Music Studies (JAAMS) Program in the Department of Music and Dance will concurrently present both the 27th Annual High School Jazz Festival and the inaugural New England Collegiate Jazz Festival April 4-5, with all of the festivals’ events free and open to the public.
From 6-11 p.m. Friday, April 4, 10 Jazz ensembles from UMass, UConn, Western Conn State University, the University of Rhode Island, Holyoke Community College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Smith College and Amherst College will perform in Bezanson Recital Hall.
Additional collegiate ensembles from UMass and UAlbany will perform during the day on Saturday, April 5, in Bezanson and Tillis Hall between 8:30 a.m. and 1p.m., overlapping the High School Jazz Festival, which will feature instrumental and vocal ensembles from Massachusetts and Connecticut. In all, over 30 ensembles will participate in the event.
“We wanted to revive the collegiate festival formats that were hosted by B.U., M.I.T., WIlliams College and others in the 1980s and 1990s,” says Jeffrey W. Holmes, JAAMS director. “The success of last year’s Five College Jazz Festival and interest from those institutions attending this year assures some great live jazz and a forum where students meet and hear peers from across four states.”
The 27th Annual High School Jazz Festival continues to offer adjudication, masterclasses, guest artist clinics and scholarships to UMass’ Jazz in July Summer Workshop programs. Two high school ensembles – one combo and one big band – will be selected by guest jazz education faculty to open for Etienne Charles at 7:30 p.m. in Tillis Hall.
UMass Jazz Ensemble I, which Holmes directs, will close off the Friday evening show in Bezanson, perform for the High School attendees on Saturday afternoon, and play a short set at 8 p.m. ahead of Charles taking the Fine Arts Center stage.
More information about the weekend’s free events can be found on the JAAMS website. Tickets for Charles’ performance may be purchased from the FAC.
For more information, contact Craig Kaufman, director of marketing and publicity for the Department of Music and Dance, at craigkaufman@umass.edu.