Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Festival Hosts Country’s Top Young Jazz Musicians
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press release
Jazz Competition Celebrates 40 Years of Jazz Education by MJF
63 Big Bands, Combos, and Vocal Ensembles
From 13 States Compete For Spot on MJF Stages
47 Bands from 13 California Counties Are Finalists
Special Appearances by Student Groups
from Alaska, Montana, Illinois, Kansas, and Texas
4-Time Grammy Winner Dianne Reeves Acts as Artist-In-Residence
All Competition Events and Activities Open to the Public, Free of Charge
March 3, 2010; Monterey, CA; The Monterey Jazz Festival, a nonprofit leader in jazz education since its inception in 1958 and JazzTimes Readers’ Poll multi-year winner for world’s Best Jazz Festival, is proud to announce the 6th Annual Next Generation Festival, April 9 - 11, 2010 in downtown Monterey. The weekend event, devoted to the future of jazz, includes the Next Generation Festival Jazz Competition with Big Bands, Combos, Vocal Ensembles, and individual musicians vying for a spot on the stages of the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival presented by Verizon.
A three-year grant from the Surdna Foundation supports the Next Generation Festival and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra’s international tours. The Surdna Foundation’s Arts Program is national in scope and supports the artistic advancement of teens, ages 12 - 18.
Attracting musicians from some of the most prestigious educational programs in the United States, over 2000 students will participate in this year’s Next Generation Festival, representing the largest gathering of young jazz talent on the Monterey Peninsula outside of the Monterey Jazz Festival itself.
In 2010, sixty-three groups from thirteen states, (including Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and the state of Washington) will participate in the Next Generation Festival, the largest selection of groups from the widest variety of states to come to Monterey in the forty-year history of the event — more than double the amount of represented states from 2009.
All Next Generation Festival competition events — from the Kick-Off Concert on Friday, April 9 (featuring internationally-renowned jazz artists who act as judges of the Next Generation Festival) — to the exuberant and electric Big Band, Vocal Ensemble and Combo Competition on Saturday, April 10 and the College Big Band Vocal Jazz Ensemble competition on Sunday, April 11, will be open to the public, free of charge.
The Festival will also conduct clinics, workshops, jam sessions, and auditions in the heart of the historic Monterey, with music to be performed at the Monterey Conference Center, the host Portola Plaza Hotel, at Fisherman’s Wharf, and Cannery Row. For a complete schedule of activities and competition times, visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org.
California, one of the strongholds of music education, has schools from thirteen counties represented in the festival – including Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Yolo Counties.
In addition, the Next Generation Festival will present special guest groups from Alaska, Montana, Illinois, Kansas, and Texas throughout the weekend.
“I was very impressed with the numbers of applicants we had this year as it showed a nearly 30% increase in applications over the past year,” said MJF Education Director, Dr. Rob Klevan. “We also had twenty states and two countries represented in the auditions and ended up with a total of 63 ensembles as finalists and “special guest” groups representing 13 states. I think it shows how popular this event is becoming, and therefore, how much more competitive it is to be selected to participate. The ensembles selected for the 2010 Next Generation Festival are truly the best of the best and I know we are in for a special treat next April 9 - 11.”
The Next Generation Festival will officially start with the annual Kick-Off Concert at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 9 at the Monterey Conference Center. The opening night’s activities will feature the Festival’s annual Salute to Jazz Education with performances by the internationally-renowned competition judges, including pianist Alan Pasqua, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, saxophonists Billy Harper, Paul Contos, Mary Fettig, and Aaron Lington; trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire; bassist Ray Drummond, and vocalists Matt Falker, Jennifer Barnes, and Michele Weir. Entry to the Salute to Jazz Education and Kick-Off Concert is open to the public, free of charge. Also featured during the evening concert will be the Monterey Jazz Festival Artist-In-Residence, 4-time Grammy winning vocalist, Dianne Reeves.
MJF’s Next Generation Festival Jazz Competition starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 10 in downtown Monterey’s Conference Center, with high-energy big bands, combos, and vocal ensembles creating an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement.
Throughout the day, participants in the High School Big Band, Vocal, and Combo divisions will put on their best performances before the judges, who will determine the top groups and outstanding soloists. The top groups of the day in the High School Vocal, Combo, and Big Band divisions will be announced at 6:15 p.m. Saturday evening from the Conference Center’s Serra Ballroom stage. At 8 p.m. Saturday night, the top vocal ensembles, combo, and Big Band finalists will take the stage in the Next Generation Festival’s Showcase Concert — a preview of the groups performing at MJF/53.
The Next Generation Festival will also host a variety of educational clinics on Saturday, April 9, including presentations by MJF Artist-In-Residence, Dianne Reeves.
The Next Generation Festival continues through Sunday, April 11 with the country’s top middle school, college, conglomerate big bands and combos, and college vocal ensembles performing in the Conference Center’s Serra Ballroom and Steinbeck Forum. The top college big band, college vocal ensemble, and conglomerate big band (to be announced during the day) will also earn a performance slot at MJF/52. New for 2010 will be the Open Combo Division, another expansion of performance opportunities at the Next Generation Festival.
Auditions will also be held throughout the Next Generation Festival weekend for the Jimmy Lyons Scholarship to Berklee College of Music, and for the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, MJF’s national all-star high school band.
The Next Generation Festival is continuing two new partnership elements introduced last year: an Instrument Showcase and College Fair. The Instrument Showcase will allow musicians an opportunity to play various instruments from participating partners. The College Fair will allow students an opportunity to visit with several colleges offering jazz and other music programs. Both activities will be offered throughout the Next Generation Festival weekend.
All Next Generation Festival competition activities from April 9 - 11 are open to the public, free of charge. More information on all Next Generation Festival activities and events is available on the MJF website, www.montereyjazzfestival.org and by phone at 831-373-3366.
Next Generation Festival partners and supporters include the Surdna Foundation and longtime MJF partner Yamaha, providing instruments for Next Generation Festival stages. Additional support for the Next Generation Festival comes from generous individuals and organizations such as AT&T Foundation, the D’Addario Music Foundation, the Joseph Drown Foundation, Evans Drumheads, Remo Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals, Planet Waves Accessories, and Rico Reeds.
MJF’s Jazz Education Programs are made possible through the financial support of foundations, corporate partners, and most importantly, through friends of the Monterey Jazz Festival. Gifts provide funds that help MJF attract the best and brightest students from coast to coast, regardless of financial status. Donations to MJF’s Jazz Education Programs may be made on-site during the Next Generation Festival, April 9 - 11.
More information on all Next Generation Festival activities and events is available on the MJF website, www.montereyjazzfestival.org and by phone at 831-373-3366.
About The Next Generation Festival and MJF Jazz Education Programs
The Monterey Jazz Festival is dedicated to perpetuating the uniquely American form of music known as jazz by producing performances that celebrate the legacy and expand the boundaries of jazz; and by presenting year-round local, regional, national, and international jazz education programs. The Monterey Jazz Festival is a nonprofit organization and has donated its proceeds to musical education since its inception in 1958. These hands-on, cutting-edge educational components include the Traveling Clinician and Latin Jazz Programs, with professional musicians visiting Monterey County schools to teach students how to play and improvise in jazz and Latin styles; the Artist-In-Residence Program, which brings a leading jazz performer to work with students throughout the year; the MJF Summer Jazz Camp, the MJF Instrument and Sheet Music Library, the MJF Digital Music Education Project, the Next Generation Festival, the Monterey County High School All-Star Band, the MJF Middle School Honor Band and MJF Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra.
The genesis of the Next Generation Festival started in 1971 when Jimmy Lyons, founder and General Manager of the Monterey Jazz Festival, began presenting the top groups of the California High School Jazz Band Competition on the final day of the MJF. Over the years, some of the young musicians who have participated in what tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman describes as “the Superbowl of California high school jazz competitions” have gone on to become stars of their generation their own right: saxophonists Joshua Redman, Dave Koz, and Dave Ellis, pianists Benny Green and Patrice Rushen, multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum, bassist Larry Grenadier, and many more. In 2005, the competition was expanded – adding more educational components – and renamed the Next Generation Festival, and the High School All-Star Band morphed into the Next Generation Orchestra. Now in its sixth year, the Next Generation Festival draws upon 40 years of educational experience, history and innovation to its expanding lineup and scope.
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For more information please contact:
Timothy Orr, Marketing Associate
Monterey Jazz Festival
Direct Line: 510-652-1122
MJF Phone: 831-373-3366 X252
Email: timorr@montereyjazzfestival.org
www.montereyjazzfestival.org
