UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | March 29, 2024

St. George Jazz Festival happening this weekend

Dixie State University holds the sixth annual St. George Jazz Festival on Feb. 11-12. Graphic Courtesy of St. George Jazz Festival.

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Jump into jazz and get your groove on at the sixth annual St. George Jazz Festival.

The festival starts Feb. 11 with a performance from LP And The Vinyl at 7:30 p.m. in the M.K. Cox Performing Arts Center. Tickets for the performance are $25, but students, faculty and staff can receive discounted tickets if they have their student or staff ID card.

The festival ends Feb. 12 after a performance from John Daversa who will be joined by The Rebel Jazz Band at 7:30 p.m. The performance will also take place in the Cox Auditorium. Students, faculty and staff can purchase tickets for the show for $5.

Glenn Webb, an associate professor of music, started the festival back in 2017 when he was approached by city officials about hosting a jazz festival. Webb, along with Robert Schmidt, the Washington County School District fine arts coordinator, assumed leadership roles and have been running the festival ever since.

“It’s [the jazz festival] a great investment in your social life and cultural life,” Webb said.

The festival also serves as an educational opportunity for middle and high school bands through clinics. The clinics enable students to learn from professionals and perform with them. Tabitha Nygaard, the administrative coordinator for the festival, is responsible for organizing clinics for students.

“Helping students appreciate it [jazz] will hopefully give them a love and understanding of it for their whole life,” Nygaard said.

The first clinic will be held on Feb. 11 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. with LP And The Vinyl. Two clinics will be held on Feb. 12 with the first clinic being taught by local musicians from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The second clinic will be led by John Daversa from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Both clinics will be held in the Cox Auditorium and for Daversa’s clinic, everyone is invited to attend.

Aside from professionals who are brought in from across the country, St. George locals may recognize familiar faces when The Rebel Jazz Band performs. The band consists of local musicians, including Webb, who is the band leader and drummer.

“We have five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, piano, bass, drums, guitar and a vocalist with us,” Webb said.

Even if you don’t consider yourself an avid jazz lover, Amanda Morrill Pearson, the logistics coordinator for the festival, said everyone can find a performance to connect with during this year’s festival.

“You don’t have to be a longtime jazz fan to enjoy our festival by any means,” Pearson said.

For students or community members who are searching for an inexpensive and entertaining way to spend your weekend, consider visiting the St. George Jazz Festival to support local musicians and enjoy some quality jazz music.