On April 17, Jazz Fest, a three-concert annual series that brings international jazz performers to ETSU, will be held at the D.P. Culp Center Auditorium.
The event starts at 7:30 a.m. and lasts until 10 p.m. Admission is $5 for students, $10 for the general public and $20 for VIP tickets. Tickets may be purchased at the Music Deptarment prior to the performance or at the door.
At Jazz Fest, the ETSU Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo will be accompanied by guest artists Tony Scodwell and Greg Wing. Together, the pair have more htan 30 years experience playing lead trumpet at top casinos in Vegas.
In addition to performing with the students, Scodwell and Wing will present master classes at the university. These two special interactions would not be available to the students, nor the community, without Jazz Fest.
“Having these artists here increases the level of education for all students at ETSU, because it allows them to hear performers live they would either never hear otherwise or would have to pay huge amounts of money to see in big cities,” said Champouillon, Bach Performing Artist and ETSU Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies.
Since 2002, Jazz Fest has been brought to ETSU by the Jazz Studies Program. Through the program, students can take courses on jazz ensemble, jazz combo, the history of jazz, jazz pedagogy and jazz theory and improvisation.
“The jazz program brings national level recognition to ETSU,” said Champouillon. “People, on a yearly basis, drive from as far as Memphis and Atlanta to attend. Overall, it aids in ETSU’s desire to be the regional university of choice. One would be hard pressed to find any university in a 500- miles radius that brings the level of performers to campus that we do.

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