About the Young Jazz Band-it Competitions
The Young Jazz Band-it competitions, supported by Youthtown, have been developed to support jazz music programmes and jazz understanding through the distribution of New Zealand inspired, popular compositions arranged for secondary and intermediate school jazz ensembles.
Created by Youthtown and the Aotearoa Jazz Education & Performance Charitable Trading Trust Inc. (CC56767) in association with Musicworks NZ and Victoria University of Wellington/Te Koki New Zealand School of Music, this is a programme for High School and Intermediate School Jazz Bands.
The overall aims of the Young Jazz Band-it are to elevate musicianship, broaden musical perspectives and inspire performance.
PEOPLE I GET INVOLVED I DONATE
There are three elements to the Young Jazz Band-It competition contested by High School and Intermediate School Jazz Bands, composers and soloists:
Process
Every year Youthtown and the Aotearoa Jazz Education & Performance Charitable Trading Trust Inc. will commission arrangements of New Zealand popular music for jazz ensembles.
Four New arrangements have been added to the 2024 Essential NZ Jazz Band Competition library.
Blue Lady - Hello Sailor - Vocal
Screems from the Old Plantation - King Kapisi - Rap/Vocal
April Sun in Cuba - Dragon - Vocal - Latin Version of this NZ classic
Argyle Street - by Michael Booth ( Count Basie Style swinger)
During the year, band directors will be sent a newsletter giving access to online educational materials to help with the rehearsal and presentation of the arrangements.
Participating Bands then upload a video recording of their band's performance of one of the Essential NZ arrangements to the Young Jazz Band-it link for evaluation. The final date to get your video uploaded is Monday, 24 June 2024.
The video recording counts as an application to the Young Jazz Band-It competition for the Secondary and Intermediate School Jazz Band Festival to be staged in Wellington on Saturday 28 September 2024.
The 10 top bands will be invited to perform at the grand final 2024 along with the finalists in the Jazz Composition and Jazz Improvisation competitions. Venue/s at the New Zealand School of Music - Victoria University of Wellington.
At the Festival, each band is required to perform four (4) charts in total. Two (2) charts must be from the Essential NZ library and two (2) own choice selections which can include a vocal.
The Festival ends with an awards ceremony and a concert by the Rodger Fox Big Band and special guest(s).
Prizes Offered
Young Band-It - Essential NZ Jazz Band Competition
1st: $6,000 Musical equipment from Musicworks NZ, plus Recording and Music Video
2nd: $2,500 Musical equipment from Musicworks NZ
3rd: $1,500 Musical Equipment from Musicworks NZ
Young Jazz Band-It - NZ Jazz Composition Competition
1st: $1,000 Musical Equipment from Musicworks NZ
2nd: $500 Musical Equipment from Musicworks NZ
Young Jazz Band-it – NZ Jazz Improvisation Competition
1st: $750 Instrumental section: Musical Equipment from Musicworks NZ
1st: $750 Vocal section: Musical Equipment from Musicworks NZ
1st: $750 Drum section: Musical Equipment from Musicworks NZ
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