Newberry College invites you to enjoy world-class artists and music at its 67th Newberry College Jazz Festival, to be held March 1 on campus.
The event will include performances by middle and high school jazz bands from across the Palmetto State throughout the day, along with midday concerts by the two elite all-state jazz ensembles. The Newberry College Jazz Big Band will cap the main event with this year’s guest artist, retired Chief Master Sgt. Tim Leahey of the United States Air Force.
The college’s event is held in partnership with the South Carolina Band Directors Association’s 27th Jazz Performance Assessment.
“Jazz Festival is a beloved Newberry College tradition, a great opportunity for students and educators, and it gets bigger and better every year,” said Dr. Jerry Gatch, director of bands. “This year we are so excited to welcome retired Chief Master Sgt. Tim Leahey, a phenomenal, world-class musician who has been a major player in some of America’s top armed forces ensembles.”
Leahey served as the lead trumpet for the Airmen of Note, the premier jazz ensemble of the Air Force, as well as chief of operations for the United States Air Force Band prior to his retirement. Leahey will perform with the college band at 1 p.m. in Wiles Chapel.
Throughout the weekend, the middle and high school jazz ensembles will each perform three selections for adjudicators and receive a rating. These performances will take place in the Alumni Music Center and Wiles Chapel on Friday afternoon and all-day Saturday.
High school students from across South Carolina were selected through competitive auditions to participate in two all-state jazz ensembles, which meet for intensive, multi-day clinics ahead of their performances. Leading the bands this year will be composer, arranger and retired educator Michele Fernández, as well as Jen Krupa of The Juilliard School.
The festival and all concerts are free and open to the public.
The Newberry College Jazz Festival has been one of the longest-running of its kind in the nation, having begun in 1958.
