Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival - Competition and Festival

Competition and Festival

In May, each finalist band goes to New York City to compete in the festival. Upon arrival at the center, every band is designated a festival mentor, who will act as a clinician and guide during the competition. Mentors are usually members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, but may not be the same as the in-school workshop clinicians. These mentors will help make final preparations with the bands before their performances.

On the first night of the festival, a jam session is held following a welcome banquet. A list of the songs to be played at the jam session is sent to schools beforehand to help participating students prepare. The song repertoire usually consists of ten popular jazz standards well-known to the jazz community. Students who wish to improve or show their improvisation skills are encouraged to attend. It is common during these jam sessions for members of JALC to perform with the students, though only one is actually designated as playing with them. Wynton Marsalis also participates, though randomly.

The competitive portion of the festival begins the next day, with the actual competition divided into three parts over a two-day period. Attendance to all three parts is free, but requires tickets. During each performance, an on-stage recording system records every band live. Later in the year, the recordings are posted on the festival website.

Following all student performances, the top three bands are announced at Rose Theater. Each of the final three bands play at the festival concert later that night, along with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The concert is held at Avery Fisher Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic. During each of the final bands' performances, Marsalis will usually play as a guest artist with all three bands. However, this was not the case in 2006 as Jon Faddis took this honor due to an apparent mouth problem with Marsalis. After the performances, an awards ceremony names the top three placing bands, and an honorable mention is given to the fourth place band. Outstanding soloists and horn sections are also recognized during the ceremony.