The annual two-day jazz festival will feature three guest artists who will engage with student ensembles from area middle and high schools and Elon's university jazz ensemble.
The annual Elon Jazz Festival will be held Feb. 22 and 23 and will bring together top performers as well as area middle and high school students for two days of music and learning.
The festival will close with a performance by the clinicians, additional guest artists, and the Elon University Jazz Ensemble in what promises to be a very special night of large format jazz music.
This year’s Elon Jazz Festival features three wonderful guest artists — lead trumpeter Liesl Whitaker, drummer Bryan Carter and jazz educator Chuck Owen.
Liesl Whitaker is lead trumpeter with the Army Jazz Ambassadors, the Premier Touring Jazz Ensemble of the United States Army. She is the first woman to win a lead chair in any of the premier U.S. military jazz ensembles. Additionally, she is the lead trumpeter with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in Washington, D.C., and is also a charter member of the all-woman big band The Diva Jazz Orchestra based in New York City. She is currently a much sought after freelancer in the DC and NYC areas.
Drummer Bryan Carter is currently touring the world with his band, “Bryan Carter & The Young Swangers.” He also served as the house drummer for NBC’s “Maya & Marty” starring Maya Rudolph, Keenan Thompson and Martin Short. The show featured guests including Miley Cyrus, Tom Hanks, Drake, Steve Martin and Tina Fey. Carter also serves as a teaching artist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center, “Jazz for Young People” program in New York City.
A committed, passionate and nationally respected jazz educator for more than 35 years, Chuck Owen is recognized equally and throughout the jazz industry for his unique compositional voice. Thoughtful, creative, evocative and intensely personal…his compositions and arrangements are steeped in the jazz tradition but draw liberally and often playfully from a diverse array of additional influences that include contemporary classical, American folk/roots music, Latin, funk, hip-hop…even country! Owen’s primary creative outlet has been the 19-piece Jazz Surge. He has served as conductor, primary composer/arranger and producer of all of its six highly-feted CDs – the last 3 of which have garnered GRAMMY nominations! Whispers On The Wind, the ensemble’s latest release, was recognized with four 2018 GRAMMY nominations.
Students from more than a dozen high and middle school jazz programs in the region will visit Elon on Friday, Feb. 22 for an invitational jazz workshop with professional jazz performers and educators as part of the Elon University Jazz Festival.
These groups are given 25 minutes of stage time to perform up to three selections. Clinicians work with each group to critique their program and recognize outstanding soloists. Visiting seniors may also audition for entrance for acceptance or scholarship into the Elon music program while they are on campus for the festival.
Visitors are welcome to drop in during Friday’s workshop to see these talented special guests of the 2019 Jazz Festival.
Friday, February 22
9 a.m. — 5:30 p.m.
Workshop/Master Class: Visiting Band Performance Critiques Liesl Whittaker and Bryan Carter, facilitators
9 a.m. – Graham Middle School – Calvin Evans, Jr., Director
9:30 a.m. – Southwest Guilford High School – Joseph Cox, director
10 a.m. – Georgetown Day – Droopy Umbrella, Brad Linde, director
10:30 a.m. – Georgetown Day – Felt Tip Pens, Brad Linde, director
11 a.m. – Western Alamance High School – Michael Jefferson, director
11:30 a.m. – Cedar Ridge High School Jazz Ensemble II – Josh Cvijanovic, director
Noon – Georgetown Day – The Succcculents, Brad Linde, director
12:30 p.m. – Cedar Ridge High School Jazz Ensemble I – Josh Cvijanovic, director
1 p.m. – Lunch Break
1:30 p.m. – A.L. Stanback Middle School – Michael Capps, director
2 p.m. – Chapel Hill High School – John Carmichael, director
2:30 p.m. – Knightdale High School Jazz Ensemble – Bill Holmes, director
3 p.m. – Pasquotank High School – John Russell, director
3:30 p.m. – Grimsley High School – Stefan Stuber, director
4 p.m. – McDougle Middle School – Luis Rodriguez, director
4:30 p.m. – Guy B. Phillips Middle School – Ashley Sample, director
5 p.m. – Culbreth Middle School – Matthew Nedimyer, director
5:30 p.m. – Northeastern High School – Wayne James, director
Saturday, February 23
Noon – Workshop: Liesl Whittaker, facilitator – McCrary Theater
1 p.m. – Workshop: Bryan Carter, facilitator – McCrary Theater
2 p.m. – Workshop: Chuck Owen, facilitator – Room 164
3:30 p.m. – Open Rehearsal: Chuck Owen, Liesl Whittaker, Bryan Carter and the Elon University Jazz Ensemble
7:30 p.m. – Festival Concert featuring the Elon University Jazz Ensemble and our very special guests Liesl Whittaker, Bryan Carter and Chuck Owen
Sponsored by the Department of Music