High school jazz musicians from around the Northland gather Tuesday, Oct. 30, at the University of Wisconsin-Superior to develop their skills and perform during the university's annual Tri-State Honor Jazz Festival.
About 50 students from 10 high schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota are expected to attend this year's festival. The musicians, all nominated by their band directors, spend the day working with UW-Superior music faculty and a guest clinician, then perform in the evening with the UW-Superior Jazz Ensemble.
UW-Superior's Music Department is well known for preparing students for careers as music teachers and professional performers. The Tri-State Honor Jazz Festival is part of the department's efforts to offer additional learning and performance opportunities to young musicians from throughout the region.
The students will work with clinician Thomas Matta, who grew up in the Twin Ports area and who now teaches jazz composition and bass trombone at DePaul University in Chicago. He has performed extensively across North America, Europe, and New Zealand, and is one of the most sought-after bass trombonists in Chicago's recording studios, concert halls, theater pits and other live-music venues.
Wisconsin high schools with students attending are Ashland, Bloomer and Chetek. Minnesota schools with students attending area Aitkin, Duluth Central, Duluth Denfeld, Esko, Hermantown, McGregor and Two Harbors.
ADVERTISEMENT
The jazz festival concert begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Skylounge of Rothwell Student Center, located on Catlin Avenue one block south of Belknap Street on the UW-Superior campus. The playlist includes two of Matta's arrangements: "It Never Entered My Mind" and "Summertime." Matta will be a featured soloist on "It Never Entered My Mind."
The concert is open to the public. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. For more information, call (715) 394-8115. For directions to UW-Superior, visit the university's Web site at www.uwsuper.edu/directions .
