The NDSU Division of Performing Arts is set to present the 36th annual High School Invitational Jazz Festival, Saturday, Feb. 10, at NDSU Festival Concert Hall. The event will feature guest artists Greg Abate on saxophone and Charles Lazarus on trumpet.
Guest adjudicators bring their world class jazz talents as both educators and performers to the stage of Festival Concert Hall. During the festival, guest artists will present a series of clinics to area jazz high school students, along with critiquing high school bands in performance. All clinics are free and open to the public.
Participating schools include West Fargo Liberty Middle School, Central Cass High School, Moorhead High School, West Fargo High School and Minot High School.
Abate is a jazz saxophonist, flutist and composer. He is an adjunct professor of jazz studies at Rhode Island College. He earlier formed the group Channel One and played tenor sax with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra under leadership of Dick Johnson. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
Lazarus is a performer, composer, producer and band leader whose career has included the Dallas Brass, Meridian Arts Ensemble, Canadian Brass and the Minnesota Orchestra. He has been a soloist with orchestras across the U.S. and Canada, and has performed with the Empire Brass, New York Philharmonic Principal Brass, London Brass, Barry White and opened for Tony Bennett.
The festival culminates in a concert featuring the guest artists in performance with the NDSU Jazz Ensemble. The closing concert is free and open to the public on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. in Festival Concert Hall.
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