Each winter, the UNC Charlotte Department of Music hosts the 49er Jazz Festival, under the direction of Dr. Will Campbell, director of the Jazz Studies program. This full-day festival allows regional middle and high school jazz bands to participate in adjudicated performances and clinics with UNC Charlotte faculty and guest clinicians. The 2020 festival will take place on Saturday, February 8, in Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts.
Each festival brings distinguished adjudicators to UNC Charlotte, who award Outstanding Musicianship/Soloist and Outstanding Ensemble awards and perform with the UNC Charlotte Jazz Ensemble at the close of the festival. This year's adjudicators are pianist Ariel Pocock (UNC Greensboro) and trombonist Rick Simerly (Milligan College, Jamey Aebersold Camps).
Participation is limited to 10 bands; deadline for application is December 15. To download an application form, please click here.
Past adjudicators include: