The 46th Annual PSU Jazz Festival is planned for Friday and is expected to draw hundreds of high school and middle schools students in 72 high school and middle school bands from across the Four State Area.
Started in 1974 by Professor of Music Russell Jones with just 14 bands, the festival has evolved into what is believed to be the biggest one-day jazz festival in the Midwest. The bands’ 30-minute concerts, which are judged, will occur both at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts on campus and Memorial Auditorium in downtown Pittsburg, starting at 8 am. and running until 5:45 pm.
Those performances are open to the public at no charge, but because they’re judged, attendees shouldn’t open the doors during the performances and should limit distractions. The festival will culminate in a public concert featuring the Tom Kubis Big Band at 7:30 pm. at Memorial Auditorium. Opening the concert will be the PSU Jazz Ensemble. Tickets for the concert may be purchased at 620-235-4796 or visit pittstate.edu/tickets.
