Monterey Jazz Fest’s Next Gen Fest - Florida Jazz Students Invited to Apply

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Now Accepting Applications From Student Big Bands, Combos, Vocal Ensembles, Composers, Individual Musicians

Next Generation Festival Jazz Competition Open To Middle School, High School, Conglomerate School, And College Level Musicians And Vocalists

Country's Top Young Players Compete For Performance Opportunities
At 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 17 - 19, 2010

Next Generation Festival Includes Free Concerts, Clinics, Workshops,
And Jazz Competition, April 9 - 11, 2010 In Historic Downtown Monterey


October 27, 2009; Monterey, California; The Monterey Jazz Festival, a leader in jazz education since its inception in 1958, is pleased to announce the 6th Annual Next Generation Festival, featuring the nation’s most talented middle school, high school, conglomerate school, and college jazz musicians and vocalists. The Next Generation Festival will take place in historic downtown Monterey from April 9 - 11, 2010.

Now in its 6th successful year in downtown Monterey, the Next Generation Festival evolved from MJF's "California High School Jazz Competition" which started in 1971 and was presented at the Monterey County Fairgrounds for 35 of its 40-year run. Now named the Next Generation Festival, the weekend salute to the future of jazz has expanded to include middle school, conglomerate school, and college level musicians and vocalists.

The Next Generation Festival Jazz Competition is now accepting applications from middle school, high school, and college big bands; from high school and college level conglomerate bands; and from high school combos and vocal jazz ensembles through January 22, 2010. Application forms may be downloaded at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s website, www.montereyjazzfestival.org. The application process is free of charge, as is participation in the prestigious event.

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.

Next Generation Festival finalists are selected through recorded auditions reviewed and ranked by faculty from the Berklee College of Music, and will include twelve big bands, six combos, and eight vocal ensembles in the High School Division. Six college-level big bands and six college vocal ensembles will also be selected, in addition to six conglomerate and six middle school big bands.

New for 2010 is the Open Combo Division for college and conglomerate high school ensembles. Six finalist combos will be selected to participate in this newest division. In addition, specially-invited groups will also perform. In 2009, over fifty groups from across the United States as well as international groups from the U.K. and Japan attended the Next Generation Festival.

The high school, conglomerate school, and college divisions of the Next Generation Festival Jazz Competition are open to superior rated big bands, combos, and vocal ensembles. The top big bands, combo, and vocal ensemble will win cash awards and be invited to perform at the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 17 - 19, 2010.

Auditions will also be held for chairs in the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, which is slated to tour at jazz venues and festivals throughout North America, as well as being featured on the Monterey Jazz Festival's Sunday afternoon Arena/Lyons Stage.

The event also includes a big band composition competition, open to high school composers, with the winning piece to be debuted at the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival by the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Judged by college faculty from leading music schools across the country, the winning composer will receive the Gerald Wilson Award and a cash prize, with the winning composition to be performed by the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra at the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 19, 2010, on the Jimmy Lyons Stage in the Arena before a crowd of thousands.

“Plans are well underway for making our 6th annual Next Generation Festival another exciting MJF event,” said Dr. Rob Klevan, Education Director for the Monterey Jazz Festival. “April 9 - 11, 2010, is a special weekend as it marks the 40th anniversary for the Monterey Jazz Festival’s High School Competition, but for anyone who has ever attended the Next Generation Festival, it’s clear that our emphasis is on presenting a ‘festival’ as the very best of the next generation of jazz musicians, from middle school to college, gather in Monterey to perform, listen, learn, and enjoy this great American music, jazz. For students, teachers, and jazz fans alike, the celebratory atmosphere and festive vibe at the Next Generation Festival is what makes this event so fun and special.”

All Next Generation Festival events and activities -- from Friday night's Kick-Off Concert through Saturday and Sunday's Next Generation Festival Jazz Competition -- are open to the public, free of charge. The Festival will also conduct clinics, workshops, jam sessions, and auditions in the heart of historic Monterey, with music to be performed at the Monterey Conference Center, the host Portola Plaza Hotel, Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row, and a downtown jazz club.

Interested schools and students should visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org for instructions on how to apply to the Next Generation Festival. Applications with an audition tape/CD should be mailed to: Next Generation Festival, c/o Dr. Rob Klevan, Jazz Education Director, 9699 Blue Larkspur Lane, Suite 204, Monterey, CA, 93940.

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Jazz & Blues Florida
www.JazzBluesFlorida.com
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