Director Information

Jazz Ensemble Directors:

Thank you for your decision to participate in the 2008 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Jazz Festival. Our festival is one of the oldest and largest festivals in the nation and is celebrating its 41st year of operation. Our festival is committed to maintaining a standard of excellence in jazz education and performance and to meet the growing needs of students ranging from middle school to the collegiate level.

Your ensemble(s) will be critiqued by adjudicators who are among the best in the field of jazz, in both performance and education. This year we are especially pleased to welcome Nnenna Freelon (jazz vocalist), Benny Golson (saxophonist), Dave Weckl (percussionist) and Chris Brubeck with Triple Play as our guest artists.

Our festival offers opportunities at all levels. The Middle School Festival will feature a concert by a UW-Eau Claire Jazz Ensemble and critiqued performances throughout the day. The High School and Collegiate Festival will include concerts by UW-Eau Claire Jazz Ensembles, masterclasses with our guest artists, many clinics and critiqued performances throughout the day. All performances, clinics, day concerts, and masterclasses are open to participants, as well as the public.

The Friday and Saturday night concerts on March 28 & 29 will feature Benny Golson and Dave Weckl, as well as the days honor bands and our own UW-Eau Claire Jazz Ensemble I. The Friday evening concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and the Saturday evening concert will start at 7:00 p.m. in the Eau Claire Memorial High School Auditorium.

Upon arriving (Friday or Saturday) please pick up your director’s packet in the lobby of the Haas Fine Arts Center, located on the UW-Eau Claire campus. Following the Friday night concert, have your students participate in the Open Jam Session. The Open Jam Session has traditionally been very inspirational and a lot of fun for our participants, directors, and guest artists alike.

Located on our Jazz Festival website you will find the bios for our guest artists, a tune database, listing of the festival rules, the participant personnel form, a tune database form, and the ensemble layout form (see the menu bar on the left). We encourage you to pass information on to your local paper and to add information regarding your participation in the festival.

Please print out and complete the participant personnel form, the tune database form, and the ensemble layout form and fax (715-836-3952) them to us as soon as possible. The deadline for sending in these forms is Friday, March 14, 2008. First priority for scheduling and $20 off the registration fee will be given to entries received on or before February 1 . These forms are used to assist the judges in selecting scholarship recipients and students displaying outstanding musicianship. If you are bringing more than one ensemble, please complete and fax one form for each ensemble you intend to bring. You will be receiving complete details regarding performance times and locations approximately two weeks prior to the festival. We look forward to seeing you at the festival!