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SECONDARY & INTERMEDIATE
SCHOOL JAZZ COMPETITIONS

Young Jazz Band-it, a national competition for High School and Intermediate School Jazz Bands offering $18,000 in prizes, was launched last evening in Wellington.

The Young Jazz Band-It initiative is a joint venture between Youthtown  and the Aotearoa Jazz Education & Performance Charitable Trading Trust (AJE&PCT), and supported by Musicworks NZ and the New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī.

The AJE&PCT, led by renowned jazz trombonist and bandleader Rodger Fox, will run the Young Jazz Band-it competitions.

Rodger Fox says, “Our goal for the Young Jazz Band-it competition is to add value to school music departments through the prizes on offer and create a prestigious school jazz competition and educational event. These competitions are all about elevating musicianship, broadening musical perspectives and inspiring the performance of young jazz musicians.”

The Young Jazz Band-it initiative currently comprises three competitions. The Young Band-It - Essential NZ Jazz Band Competition recognises and rewards excellence in jazz musicianship and

Fay Amaral of Youthtown and Rodger Fox

performance. Bands entering this competition must have between 14 and 20 members, one of whom can be a vocalist, and there are three prizes on offer. The winner will receive $6,000 of musical equipment from Musicworks NZ plus a recording and music video (valued at $4,250). The second and third-placed bands will receive $2,500 and $1,500 respectively, of musical equipment.

The Young Jazz Band-It - NZ Composition Competition has been developed to foster New Zealand compositions in jazz. This award will be given for the best jazz piece composed by a New Zealand secondary or intermediate school student or students and performed by a High School or Intermediate School jazz band. Bands entering this competition must have a minimum of four and no more than eight musicians, one of whom can be a vocalist. The winner will receive $1,000 of musical equipment plus a recording and music video, and the runner up $500 of musical equipment from Musicworks.

The third competition, the Young Jazz Band-it - NZ Improvisation Competition, seeks to foster the art of jazz improvisation. Three prizes of musical equipment from Musicworks are on offer: $750 for the best instrumentalist, $750 for the best vocalist and $750 for the best drummer.

Rodger Fox speaking at the launch

Rodger Fox said, “Huge kudos to Youthtown for funding this initiative via the Aotearoa Jazz Education & Performance Charitable Trading Trust Inc., and to Musicworks NZ for providing the generous prizes.”

ENDS

 

Competition launched for School Jazz Bands with $18,000 in prizes

 
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