Marshall University Winter Jazz Fest

The Marshall University Winter Jazz Festival is one of the oldest collegiate jazz festivals in North America. Founded in 1969 by Professor J.D. Folsom, the festival is held in February of each year and features performances by various MU Jazz Ensembles, the regions’ finest middle school and high school jazz bands, along with clinics and performances by world-renown jazz artists and educators, as well as members of the MU jazz faculty. High school & middle school jazz ensembles/combos of any size are invited to participate.

A hallmark of the Winter Jazz Festival is the appearance of a guest artist who performs with Marshall University jazz ensemble members. This year’s guest artist is saxophonist Pete Mills. Mills’ group, the Pete Mills B3 4tet, is the featured ensemble during the Friday, Feb. 11, concert in Smith Recital Hall, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Mills will perform again with MU Jazz Ensemble I at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, also in Smith Recital Hall.

The festival also features performances by the Jewel City Jazz Orchestra, MU Jazz Combo I, and regional high school and middle school jazz ensembles who will perform throughout the day on Feb. 11-12.

Sponsored by the School of Music in the College of Arts and Media, the festival performances are free and open to all. Masks are required indoors on the Marshall University campus. Concerts will also be livestreamed on the MU School of Music YouTube channel.

For more information, visit www.marshall.edu/music/jazz.