West Salem High School Jazz Festival

Greetings Fellow Educators!
We would like to invite you to join us for the Eighth Annual West Salem High School Jazz Festival, which will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at West Salem High School in Salem.

We are very pleased to announce that our guest artist for this year’s festival is Yamaha Performing Artist, internationally renowned jazz drummer, percussionist, clinician, author, and educator, Steve Houghton. He will be performing during our noon concert hour, and again prior to our evening awards ceremony. Steve has shared stage and studio with luminaries Freddie Hubbard, Rufus Reid, Gary Burton, Clay Jenkins, Shelly Berg, Lyle Mays, Pat LaBarbara, Bobby Shew, Wayne Bergeron, Arturo Sandoval, Joe Henderson, Ray Brown, and Eddie Henderson, among others. As an author, Houghton’s publications boast more than thirty educational books, videos and DVDs. Houghton is Professor of Percussion and Jazz at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.

Our outstanding adjudicators include Lars Campbell, Director of Instrumental Music at Clackamas Community College; Jason Palmer of Portland Community College; Michelle Medler, Director of the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra; and James Miley of Willamette University. They will provide excellent feedback and a short clinic following your performance.

We offer a unique format that will meet the needs of your band, no matter their level. Bands will be grouped in similar classifications for competition. You, the director, select the classification that is appropriate for your group. Each group will have a 30 minute time slot, which includes an on stage clinic by one of the adjudicators, set up and break down. Please note: we also have a combo division.

If you are an Oregon band looking for automatic qualification to the OMEA State Jazz Band Championships (by placing first in your classification with 2 superior ratings) you will need to compete in the classification that matches your OSAA classification (6A, 5A, 4A, etc). However, if you think your group will have a better experience in a lower classification, you make qualify through the tape pool with two superior ratings.

Classifications:
• High School Novice – little or no festival experience (3A, 2a, 1A OSAA).
• High School Intermediate – some experience, developing soloists, medium difficult charts (4A
OSAA).
• High School Advanced – established groups, medium to difficult charts, good style
comprehension, and good soloists (5A OSAA).
• High School Heavy – established programs, medium to difficult charts, mature concept of style
and mature soloists (6A OSAA).

8th Annual West Salem High School Jazz Festival Saturday, February 8, 2020
• Open – Groups in this category include Arts Magnets, Home School, Combined High Schools, and Independent groups.
• Middle School Novice– little or no festival experience
• Middle School Intermediate – some festival experience
• Middle School Advanced– established groups, festival experience, developing soloists.
• High School Jazz Combo
• Middle School Jazz Combo
• Non-competitive- comments only.

Awards:
• Festival Certificates for outstanding individuals in all classes
• Trophies/Plaques in each classification (First through Fourth Place)
• Framed certificates for the outstanding section (saxes, bones, trumpets, rhythm) in each of the
H.S. Heavy and H. S. Advanced classes
Food: The West Salem Band Boosters will provide a wide selection of lunch and snack items, as well as souvenir programs.
Application and Fees: The cost of the festival is two hundred eighty dollars ($280.00) per band and eight-five dollars ($85.00) per combo. Bands will be accepted upon receipt of completed application and payment of fees.

The application deadline is January 6, 2020. No refunds will be given after January 8, 2020.

Please go to http://westsalemband.org/jazzfest.registration.html, to fill out your online registration.

Please make checks and P.O.’s out to West Salem Band Boosters and send to the address below, if your school is not set up to make online payments. In case inclement weather forces us to cancel the festival, we will provide a full refund. However, if we are able to run the festival, we will not provide any refunds.

We take pride in providing a highly organized event. An audio system with section and solo mics will be used. Risers will be provided for trumpets, trombones, and drums. A drum set, vibes, guitar amp, and bass amp will be available on stage. You will only need to provide cymbals.

Please respond as soon as possible so that we may reserve a place for your band.

Thank you for your interest. We’ll see you February 8th!

Sincerely,
Ashley Alexander
Festival Host
Please mail application and check to:
West Salem High School Band
Attention: Ashley Alexander 1776 Titan Drive NW
Salem, OR. 97304
Questions: Please contact Jaimie Hall at 360-910-5467 or mail to: alexander_ashley@salkeiz.k12.or.us.
alexander_ashley@salkeiz.k12.or.us