BETHLEHEM, Pa. — If you fear that jazz has lost its beat among younger listeners and players, here's music to your ears: The annual SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase will be back for a 14th year.
ArtsQuest has announced that 26 bands from Pennsylvania and New Jersey will compete over five dates in February and March, in front of live audiences and a judging panel of music educators at Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center.
Preliminary rounds are at noon and 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, and Sunday, March 8.
General admission seated tickets, at $7 plus fees, went on sale Friday at the ArtsQuest website and the ticket box at ArtsQuest Center at 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.
The best groups, as determined by judges, will compete in finals at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 29, at the ArtsQuest Center.
The competition is part of ArtsQuest's music-in-education program with Moravian University Music Department’s Jazz Studies.
Bands competing will be:
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Noon
Wilson Area High School, Delaware Valley (New Jersey) Regional High School, North Penn High School's Columbia Jazz Band, Kutztown Area High School, The Hill School and North Penn High School's Navy Jazz Band.
Sunday, Feb. 22 – 4 p.m.
Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, Saucon Valley High School Jazz Band, La Salle College High School's Lab Band, Upper Moreland High School's Jazz Two, Spring-Ford Area High School Jazz Band, La Salle College High School's Comp Band and Upper Moreland High School's Jazz One.
Sunday, March 8 – Noon
Freedom High School, Southern Lehigh High School's Jazz Trane, Phillipsburg High School, Pennridge High School, Warren Hills High School and Southern Lehigh High School's Jazz Society.
Sunday, March 8 – 4 p.m.
Easton Area High School, North Hunterdon (New Jersey) High School, Bangor Area High School, Pocono Mountain East High School, Central Bucks High School South, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School and Delaware Valley High School.
