The Folsom High School campus will be home to the sweet sounds of fine jazz performed by talented students at the 2024 Folsom Jazz Festival this Saturday, Jan. 27. The popular annual event provides an exciting day for entertainment for all ages for a good cause.
With more than 90 middle school and high school jazz bands, vocal jazz choirs and jazz combos from throughout California and Nevada, this local event gives guests the opportunity to hear difficult jazz music played by the community’s youth.
According to Jon Augustine, a longtime member of the Folsom High School Music Boosters, “this is the largest amateur jazz festival on the West Coast. This festival is meant for middle school and high school bands and choirs to get that experience performing in front of seasoned judges and large audiences.”
After each performance, those judges give real-time professional feedback and clinics to help the students better themselves. This annual music festival is unlike others when it comes to its time in the year as well.
The majority such festivals of this type are at the beginning of a school year compared to this one, which is in the middle of the year. This is unique as the students have more experience and practice performing in front of spectators at previous events, making them well-polished for the Folsom affair.
Some of the nearby schools participating in the festival this weekend will include Folsom, as the host of the event, Oak Ridge High School, Granite Bay, Cordova, Sheldon, Rocklin, Lincoln, Elk Grove, Christian Brothers, Pleasant Grove, Natomas and others. In total, over 100 different groups and ensembles are scheduled to perform.
The event gets moving just tafter 6:00 am and runs the entire day. Awards for the students will be presented at 6:15 p.m. During the event two special concerts will also take place for participants and attendees to enjoy. This is the first Jazz Festival under the direction new Folsom High School Music Director Gaw Williams who stepped into the role after the retirement of longtime director Curtis Gaesser.
The American River Vocal Jazz Group is scheduled to perform along with the Sacramento State Jazz Faculty Nonet. For a complete schedule of the events thoughout the day click the schedule here.
Tickets for Saturday’s event are on sale. Prices are $15 Adults, $10 Seniors, Children, and Students with ID. Tickets can be purchased online at www.folsommusic.org.
All proceeds from the festival benefit the Folsom High School music programs.