Clifford Brown High School Jazz Ensemble Competition
This event has been cancelled. Please stay tuned for 2012-13 information.
High school jazz ensembles – from small combos to big bands – are invited to show off their talents live at the baby grand! Contenders will perform for a panel of jazz experts and one winning ensemble will have the unique opportunity to perform at Wilmington’s prestigious DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival in June, 2012.
Interested Ensembles: Please review the guidelines below or download them here to keep on hand. Complete and return a registration form with payment no later than January 16, 2012. We’ll contact you by January 31, 2012, to confirm registration, setup, and repertoire.
For more information, please contact Pamelyn Manocchio at (302)658-7897.
COMPETITION GUIDELINES
Eligibility
• Open to high school jazz ensembles within a 90 mile radius of Wilmington, DE.
• All performing members must be students from the sponsoring high school.
• Open to ensembles of all sizes, with a minimum of 3 members and a maximum of 20 members.
• Ensembles must include a non-refundable fee of $150 at the time of registration.
• Registration is on a first-paid, first-served basis and will remain open until a maximum of 8 ensembles is reached or until Monday, January 16, 2012.
Venue
• Competition performances will take place in the baby grand. The Grand will provide a piano, drum set, chairs, music stands, vocal mic, solo mic, bass and guitar amps, and lights.
• Warm-ups will take place in Studio One. The Grand will provide a piano, drum set, chairs, music stands, and bass and guitar amps.
Competition Format
• Ensembles will have the opportunity to warm up for 30 minutes immediately before going on stage. Each ensemble will perform up to four instrumental songs for a total of 20 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes on stage for set-up and break-down. Performers must adhere to these timeframes.
• One song must be a Clifford Brown chart or “I Remember Clifford” by Benny Golson. Other selections must be jazz-oriented, with at least 2 pieces of contrasting styles.
• Ensemble setup and repertoire must be provided in advance of the competition.
Judging
• Ensembles will be adjudicated by a panel of three judges, including featured performer, Joe Baione. (Others to be announced.)
• Ensembles will be judged on quality of performance, not on arrangements.
• Judges will complete a scoring sheet and written commentary for ensembles to review after the competition.
• The winning ensemble will be determined by the highest combined scores from all judges. In the case of a tie, the winner will be determined by the judges’ vote.
Prizes
• The winning ensemble will be invited to perform one 45-minute set at the 2012 DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival in Wilmington, Delaware, June 18-24, 2012. The winning ensemble must be available during these dates to accept the prize.
• Honorary mentions will be awarded for a variety of categories.
Tickets
• Tickets to the competition will be sold to families and friends of performers, and to the general public, for $5 each.
• Performers who would like to attend the Joe Baione concert on Saturday, March 24 at 8PM will be eligible for a discounted ticket rate of $17 each (regular price $25), subject to availability.