Penn State Jazz Festival

March 28, 2005

The Penn State chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators announces the Pennsylvania State University Invitational Jazz Festival. There will be a high school jazz band competition, which includes one middle school and five high school jazz ensembles. All three of Penn State's School of Music Jazz Ensembles will be performing. Centre Dimensions, Inner Dimensions and Outer Dimensions are under the direction of Professors Dan Yoder, Rick Hirsch and Mac Himes. Student-run jazz combos will perform and special guests Jim McNeely, piano, Chris Vadala, saxophone and John Fedchock, trombone will be present. The events will take place at Music Buildings I and II on the University Park Campus and are free and open to the public.

On Friday, April 8, 2005, the festivities will begin at 2:30 p.m. with clinicians McNeely, Vadala, and Fedchock giving hour-long masterclasses each on jazz and musicianship. At 3:35 p.m., the premiere Jazz band at Penn State, Centre Dimensions, will hold an open rehearsal with the guest clinicians. At 8:00 p.m., there will be and All-Star combo Concert, featuring the guests in Esber Recital Hall, Music Building I.

On Saturday, April 9, 2005, the festival continues from 9:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. with High School Band performances/ adjudications. There will be guest group masterclasses at 3:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. the Awards Ceremony will take place and Centre Dimensions will perform immediately following at 7:30 p.m. with the guest artists/clinicians in Esber Recital Hall. Following the evening concert, there will be food and refreshments at the Closing Gala/Jam Session. Everyone is encouraged to "Bring Your Horn" and jam along.

For further information on the 2005 IAJE Penn State Jazz Festival, please contact:

Prof. Dan Yoder
Professor of Jazz Studies
814-863-4408
mdy3@psu.edu

Marisa Trembler
Festival Director
484-695-0756
mct143@psu.edu