The University of Arkansas at Monticello Jazz Band Receives Honors at the Prestigious Elmhurst National Jazz Festival
March 5th, 2019 by UAM News
The internationally recognized UAM Jazz Band attended the Elmhurst National Jazz Festival this past weekend at Elmhurst College. The UAM band competed against 28 other bands from across the country. The band won 7 individual honors, the most for any UAM band, and again received the Outstanding Band Award at the competition.
The UAM Jazz Band previously won the Outstanding Band Award in 2015. Following that win, the band received an invitation to the Midwest International Music Clinic and was invited by the Chinese government to tour China for ten days.
Jason Smith, the Director of Jazz Studies at UAM and UAM Jazz One said, “I am so happy for our students at UAM! The Division of Music strives to prepare our students for a real world experience as professionals and educators. This achievement is a shining light for UAM.”
Dr. Karla Hughes, UAM Chancellor, said, “I am always proud to see UAM students succeed on an international stage. Our jazz band brings a lot of positive attention and pride to UAM. I shouldn’t be surprised when they win because they are really that good. I suspect we will see more great news come from our jazz band in months to come.”
About the Elmhurst National Jazz Festival:
Chicago magazine once hailed the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival as “one of the best buys for your jazz dollars,” and it’s easy to see why.
Each February, the best college jazz bands in the country converge on the Elmhurst campus for three days of performances and education. The bands take turns performing for some of the greatest names in professional jazz today, who offer critiques and award a variety of honors. The professionals cap off each night of the Festival with a rousing performance of their own.
For the college bands, the Festival offers a great opportunity to learn from some of today’s greatest jazz musicians. For the audience, it’s a chance to hear both college bands and jazz greats.
The UAM Jazz Band will perform a concert on April 16 at 7:30pm in the UAM Fine Arts Center with Grammy nominated trumpet player Alex Norris as a guest artist.
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