This Saturday, the Dunkirk Middle School Auditorium will be the venue for the 7th Annual Dunkirk Jazz Invitational. This event, sponsored by the Northern Chautauqua County Band Directors Association, brings together several area schools' music programs for a day of jazz music making. This free concert, beginning at 3:30 p.m., is open to the public.
The Dunkirk Jazz Invitational was started in 2006 by NCCBDA President Robert De Santis and Founder Michael Wieloszynski to allow students involved in Chautauqua County Schools music programs the opportunity to hear each other perform America's classical music - jazz.
The schedule for the day's performances are as follows:
3:30 p.m. Introductions / Dunkirk Middle School
3:45 p.m. Forestville Middle School
4:10 p.m. Silver Creek Middle School
4:25 p.m. Silver Creek High School
4:50 p.m. Brocton High School
5:05 p.m. Forestville High School
5:30 p.m. Cassadaga High School
5:45 p.m. Infinity Performing Arts Group
6 p.m. awards ceremony
Organizers note all of the groups above have quality programs. It is a rare occasion, however, when the students in these programs get to be heard by their peers from their neighboring districts, and when they get to hear and cheer on other student musicians from around the county. The Dunkirk Jazz Invitational is just such an occasion.
"Although many of the schools in Chautauqua County are separated by nearly an hour's drive, the Dunkirk Jazz Invitational is an experience for students to connect with their peers from other school districts - to share their talents, cheer each other on, make new friends, and to enjoy the musical bond that they all share," says NCCBDA Public Relations Liaison, Shawn Huestis. "I know of few other school events that champion such an atmosphere of collaboration."
In addition to the school jazz ensembles performing, the concert will also feature a collection of student musicians from a variety of schools who perform together as the Infinity Performing Arts Group, headed by Cassadaga Band director John Cross.
Concessions will be available throughout the day-long Invitational. Music during the breaks will be provided by the Dave Golando Jazz Quartet performing during the set breaks.
For more information regarding this and other events sponsored by the Northern Chautauqua County Band Directors Association, visit www.nccbda.org.
