2020 Carolina Jazz Festival brings together musicians across states and ages

After 43 years, Jim Ketch, professor of music and the director of jazz studies at UNC, will lead his last Carolina Jazz Festival. 

The festival is a three-day event that features performances from the UNC Jazz Band, more than 250 high school students from three states and an annual headliner, which is the Maria Schneider Orchestra this year. 

This year, the festival will take place from Feb. 20 to Feb. 22. 

The festival will also feature performances from artists-in-residence Dave Stryker and Steve Wilson. 

The high school student performers are a part of the Carolina Regional "Essentially Ellington" High School Jazz Festival, which has attracted students from North Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., Georgia and New Jersey for the past 15 years. 

Ketch, who directs the festival, said this year was especially special because it is his last at UNC. He said he enjoys that his students get the chance to experience new guest artists and meet prospective high school students, who may find the jazz program at UNC attractive.

“The goal of the festival is to have fun, to play great music, to allow ourselves to be elevated by the maturity and creativity of our guest artists, to create a venue that is super cool for young high school jazz musicians,” Ketch said. 

Wilson, a saxophone player, is one of the featured guest artists at the event this year. He’s been a part of the Carolina Jazz Festival many times and enjoys being able to help teach young musicians alongside Ketch.

“It’s great being able to work with Jim Ketch," Wilson said. "His energy is amazing and brings a lot of enthusiasm to the festival. I love having the opportunity to meet and work with young musicians."

During this year's festival, Wilson will be holding master classes and performing with Ketch’s students and with the Maria Schneider Orchestra. He will also be adjudicating the "Essentially Ellington" High School Jazz Festival. 

"I want to make this festival special by highlighting Jim’s accomplishments and by making it as much fun as possible," Wilson said. 

This year’s festival will be a first for many students at UNC. 

Ramune Marcinkeviciute, a sophomore majoring in economics and minoring in music, is one of these students. Marcinkeviciute will be performing in the festival this year. He said that he is very excited to show what the jazz band and his jazz combo has prepared for the audience. Marcinkeviciute is most looking forward to performing with fellow jazz musicians. 

“This event is special to me because it’s a celebration of jazz," Marcinkeviciute said. "As an international student, this festival allows me to get a taste of what the jazz genre is like in the Unites States."

Another great thing about this festival is that it connects UNC to other music communities.

"It connects us to North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia via the North Carolina Regional 'Essentially Ellington' High School Jazz Festival," Ketch said. "Our patrons are support of our students and our faculty so anticipate good crowds."

arts@dailytarheel.com