The Northwest Jazz Ensemble performs during last year's Northwest Jazz Festival. The ensemble will perform at the 2018 festival on Friday with guest artists John Fedchock and Tito Carrillo. (Photo by Todd Weddle/Northwest Missouri State University)

Feb. 16, 2018

Jazz festival to feature 32 school groups, guest artists

Northwest Missouri State University will host jazz performers from 32 middle schools and high schools during its annual Northwest Jazz Festival Friday, Feb. 23, in addition to performances by the Northwest Jazz Ensemble and guest artists John Fedchock and Tito Carrillo.

“This festival is a fantastic opportunity for participating public school students and the members of the Northwest Jazz Ensemble,” Northwest Professor of Music Dr. Bill Richardson said. “We have two world-class jazz artists performing and teaching. I am confident that University and community members will enjoy the day’s activities and this celebration of great American music.”

A world-class trombonist, bandleader and Grammy-nominated arranger, Fedchock has established himself as one of New York City’s premiere jazz artists during a career spanning three decades. Carillo is an associate professor of jazz trumpet at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he joined the faculty in 2006, in addition to being a fixture in the Chicago jazz and Latin music scenes since 1996.

Carillo and Fedchock will perform with the Northwest Jazz Ensemble, conducted by Richardson, at noon in the Charles Johnson Theater at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building. Carillo also will perform at 5 p.m. in the Charles Johnson Theater as part of the festival’s awards concert.

The school performances begin at 9 a.m. in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts, Charles Johnson Theater and the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom. Large jazz ensembles and jazz combos from schools in Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska will perform in 25-minute time slots. Each jazz ensemble performs for three adjudicators who provide comments and assign ratings in addition to working with each group on stage after their performance.

All of performances are free and open to the public. 

The Northwest Jazz Festival is funded through an Academic Initiative Award provided by Dr. Michael Steiner, dean of Northwest’s College of Arts and Sciences. Northwest’s Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia chapter also provides operational support during the festival.

For more information, contact Richardson at billr@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1316.