Jazz Fest Invitation
September 28, 2015
Dear Jazz Director;
We would like to take this opportunity to extend a special invitation to you and your jazz ensemble, vocal jazz ensemble, and/or combo to be a part of the University of Louisville Jazz Festival, Friday February 26, 2016 and/or Saturday, February 27, 2016. This invitation-only festival will be the culmination of a multiple-day celebration of jazz here on the University of Louisville campus. Please let us know which day you would prefer to perform, and we will do our best to try to accommodate your group with our scheduling.
Events during the rest of the week will include lectures, presentations, videos, performances by University and area jazz ensembles, combo performances, and other special events to celebrate America's indigenous music. The series of jazz events is a part of the University's diversity celebration and its observance of African American History month. We have a jam-packed schedule of events throughout the final days of the celebration that promises to be well rewarding for you and your group. Even if you do not wish to perform, please consider bringing your group to observe.
Among this year's guest performing artists for the Festival will be saxophonist, Denis DiBlasio (Feb 26) (www.denisdiblasio.com), drummer Carl Allen and his group (Feb 27) (www.carlallen.com), and pianist, Ryan Cohan (Feb 28) (www.ryancohan.com). Please visit our web site at jazz.louisville.edu for more information. Each participating ensemble will have a 25-30 minute performance clinic with our festival adjudication staff. Ensembles will receive citations for outstanding, excellent, and good performances. Outstanding performer awards will be presented to individuals as determined by the judging staff. In addition, each participating group will receive a CD recording of their performance. Scholarship awards to the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Camp, which is held annually on the U of L campus, will be made to individual outstanding performers. Other activities on Friday and Saturday will include clinics by our guest artists, festival adjudicators, Jamey Aebersold, and U of L faculty as well as concerts featuring the University of Louisville Jazz Ensembles and our featured artists.
The U of L Jazz Festival is also an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in attending the University to audition for music scholarships and activity awards and to tour the campus. If you have students who are interested in auditioning, please note that on the enclosed entry form. The University jazz program is a very active program with a renowned faculty. The U of L jazz faculty includes Mike Tracy, director of jazz studies, internationally known composer John LaBarbera, trumpeter Ansyn Banks, saxophonist/vocalist Jerry Tolson, bassist Tyrone Wheeler, bassist/pianist Chris Fitzgerald, guitarist Craig Wagner, saxophonist Samir Kamborav, pianist Diego Lyra Medeiros, and percussionist Mike Hyman. The U of L jazz program includes big bands, 6 combos, Brazilian Ensemble, Contemporary Ensemble, Hard Bop Ensemble, and courses in jazz theory, improvisation, composition and arranging, jazz style and history, music technology, film scoring, music industry, and jazz pedagogy. We offer both bachelors and masters degrees in jazz studies.
A limited number of performance slots are available. To assure your spot, please fill out the enclosed entry form and return it with your registration fee ($175 for jazz ensembles; $125 for jazz combos and vocal groups) by January 25, 2016. Registration forms may also be downloaded from our web site, jazz.louisville.edu. Registrations will not be complete until the registration fee has been received. We look forward to hearing from you soon and seeing you on February 26th or 27th.
Sincerely,
Jerry Tolson Ansyn Banks Mike Tracy
Festival Director Associate Festival Director Director, Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program