Bands to Compete for $100,000 in Scholarships; Public is Invited to Free Concerts at Hynes Convention Center

BOSTON, January 10, 2003 — On Saturday, January 18, 2003, student musicians from the northeastern United States, and from as far away as Ecuador, will compete at Berklee College of Music's 35th Annual High School Jazz Festival. Over 3,500 students will compete for trophies, citation plaques, and tuition scholarships totaling $100,000 at the largest festival of its kind in the U.S. The day's events are free and open to the public.

The high school groups will perform and compete at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. From 7:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m., the ten top big bands will perform in the final competition at the 2,700-seat Hynes Grand Ballroom.

Throughout the day, the Grand Ballroom will feature three of Berklee's top student bands. The Christy Bluhm Jazz Group, featuring members of her vocal group "Syncopation," perform jazz standards from 12:30 to 1:10 p.m. Next, The Singers Showcase, a student ensemble comprised of some of Berklee's finest singers and instrumentalists, perform from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. The Berklee Rainbow Band, directed by Phil Wilson, will play contemporary jazz originals and standards from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m.

The festival will also showcase the Berklee City Music Saturday School (CMSS), including performances by three of its talented ensembles. The CMSS Vocal Ensemble, directed by Darcel Wilson, and featuring Dennis Montgomery III, perform at 12 p.m. The CMSS Instrumental Jazz Ensemble, directed by Herman Hampton, and featuring Darren Barrett, perform at 12:30 p.m. Finally, the CMSS Advanced Ensemble, directed by Winston Maccow, perform at 1 p.m.

The CMSS is a program that provides year-round music instruction to Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Somerville high school students. It is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, with matching funds from Berklee.

Since it began in 1968, the Berklee High School Jazz Festival has been host to more than 35,000 students in over 2500 ensembles. This year's festival will feature nearly 250 jazz ensembles, including big bands, small combos, and vocal jazz groups from all six New England states, as well as New York, California, Maryland, Wisconsin and Ecuador. The adjudicators will be Berklee faculty members.

"For those concerned about what young people are doing with their time in high school, they ought to drop by this festival," said Lawrence Bethune, Berklee's Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students and Festival Executive Director. "They'll find reassurance that these kids are doing great things and have a bright future. Berklee is thrilled to continue to contribute to their development as musicians and citizens and to support the important efforts of their teachers and parents."

Between competitive events at the Hynes, Berklee High School Jazz Festival participants and attendees can visit booths hosted by industry exhibitors, and student musicians will be able to take part in jam sessions at the "Rising Star Club" in the Hynes. Other activities at the festival include student-led tours of the College that will visit Berklee's recording studios, film scoring labs, the Stan Getz Media Center and Library, practice facilities, recital halls and more. The tours, meeting at the admissions table located outside the Hynes' Storage Area, will last one hour, and depart throughout the day. Also, in Boylston Street Hall on the Hynes' third level, faculty will be on hand to answer questions about Berklee's Performance and Instrumental programs.

Students and parents are also invited to visit Berklee's Career Development Center Exhibit to learn about career opportunities in today's music industry, including writing, performance, education, technology, therapy, and business.

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music. For over half a century, the college has evolved constantly to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing 70 plus countries, and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.

For more information, please contact:

Nicholas Balkin
Public Information Coordinator
Berklee College of Music
(617) 747-2750 or nbalkin@berklee.edu

-or-

Sarah Godcher Murphy
Publicist
Berklee College of Music
(617) 747-2658 or sgodcher@berklee.edu