49er Jazz Festival

Each winter, the UNC Charlotte Department of Music hosts the 49er Jazz Festival, under the direction of Dr. Will Campbell, director of the Jazz Studies program. This full-day festival allows regional middle and high school jazz bands to participate in adjudicated performances and clinics with UNC Charlotte faculty and guest clinicians. The 2024 festival will take place on Saturday, February 10, 2024 in Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts.

Each festival brings distinguished adjudicators to UNC Charlotte, who award Outstanding Musicianship/Soloist and Outstanding Ensemble awards and perform with the UNC Charlotte Jazz Ensemble at the close of the festival. The 2024 Jazz Fest adjudicators are Thomas Taylor (NC Central University) and Patrick Brown (JazzArts Charlotte).

Participation is limited to 10 bands.

Past adjudicators include:

Brandon Lee, UNC Greensboro and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Tyrone Jefferson, A Sign of the Times of the Carolinas Tim Ishii, University of Texas at Arlington Todd Wright, Appalachian State University Chad Eby, UNC Greensboro Thomas Taylor, UNC Greensboro and North Carolina Central University Robert Trowers, North Carolina Central University Matt Olson, Furman University Baron Tymas, North Carolina Central University Tracy Patterson, Winthrop University