The 27th Annual Bellevue College Jazz Band Festival

General Schedule Information

BC’s Jazz Band, directed by Jim Sisko, will host the 27th annual Bellevue College Jazz Band Festival. There will be 40 Middle School, High School and College Jazz Bands and Combos participating over two days.

Schedule

Friday, March 28, will be an all-day event for Middle Schools from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday will come to an end presenting the top three schools with special recognition in addition to a special presentation of 8 individual awards.

Saturday, March 29, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the High Schools will compete.  At 5 p.m. the top three schools will be selected for the evening concert. The evening concert will start at 8 p.m. with the top three high schools performing followed by a performance by own BC Jazz Band with guest artist Michael Rodriguez.

Guest artist trumpeter Michael Rodriguez will be performing at a clinic on Friday & Saturday during the lunch hour as well as performing with the BC Jazz Band in the Saturday evening concert.

Award Announcement 

At the end of the Middle School and Junior High competition on Friday, three outstanding band awards will be presented as well as individual soloist awards. At the end of the day on Saturday, soloist awards will be announced, and three high school bands will be selected to perform in the evening concert. All high school bands, including those that perform on Friday are eligible to be selected as showcase bands on the Saturday evening concert.  Places are determined solely by the afternoon scoring.  The three showcase bands will lead off the Saturday evening concert, and the performance order will be determined by a random draw.

Traditionally, junior high and middle school bands have performed on Friday and high school bands have performed on Saturday.  If needed, we are happy to host a high school band on Friday if it helps with your travel arrangements.

QUESTIONS? – PLEASE E-MAIL:

Jim Sisko

jim.sisko@bellevuecollege.edu

Registration Information

Registration Deadline

Our 2025 Jazz Band Festival Registration is now open!

Payment

Payment may be made by credit card or check. An invoice will be sent after registration is complete.

Cost

• Jazz Band: $350.00 (includes 1 ticket each for Students and Directors for Saturday Evening Concert.)
• High School Combo: $70.00
• Additional Evening Tickets: $15 per ticket (Tickets may also be purchased soon through Brown Paper Tickets)

Click on the button below to start your registration.

Festival Highlights

1. FRIDAY: Middle/Jr High Schools – 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.: 20-minute performance, 35-minute clinic.
2. SATURDAY: High Schools – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: 25-minute performance, 45-minute clinic.
3. High School Combo Division.
4. Live streaming of daytime performances.
5. Directors will receive a link to recording of their performance and judge’s comments.
6. State of the art sound reinforcement.
7. Masterclass and performance by Guest Artist.
8. Competitive or “Comment-Only” option.
9. Awards will be given at the end of the day and evening concert.
10. Awards will include outstanding bands and outstanding soloists.
11. Saturday Evening Concert is free to all participants.

John Swana, Guest Artist

Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, Swana took up Trumpet at the age of 11. He was drawn to jazz at the age of 17 after hearing Dizzy Gillespie, and the interest developed into a passion while he was in college. There he began transcribing the solos of Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, and Tom Harrell. At the age of 26, he also started playing the EVI (Electric Valve Instrument). John is playing the EVI, and Valve Trombone, exclusively at the moment.

Swana has performed and/or toured with the Mingus Big Band, and the Dave Holland Big Band. He has also played with well known jazz names such as Don Patterson, Shirley Scott, Mickey Roker, Stanley Turrentine, Harold Mabern, Cecil Payne, Johnny Coles, Ralph Peterson, Charles Fambrough, Bobby Watson, Craig Handy, Chris Potter, Stephen Scott, Tim Warfield, Eric Alexander, Sam Newsome, Brad Mehldau, Vincent Herring, Uri Caine, Tim Armacost, Peter Leitch, Peter Bernstein, Mark Turner, Jon Gordon, Donny McCaslin, Ravi Coltrane, Ralph Bowen, Greg Hutchinson, Ari Hoenig, Seamus Blake, and Robin Eubanks. He has also been heard with Freddie Hubbard, Phil Woods, Ronnie Cuber, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Clark Terry, Frank Foster, John Faddis, Slide Hampton, J.J. Johnson, Bob Minzer, and Charlie Persip.

John Swana can be heard on recordings with: Benny Golson, Grover Washington Jr., Chris Potter, Ralph Bowen, Donny McCaslin, John Patitucci, Eric Alexander, Charles Fambrough, Craig Handy, Tito Puente, Bill O’Connell, Lenny White, Ricky Sabastian, Eric Harland, Greg Hutchinson, Marlon Simon, Ed Simon, Dave Valentin, Café, Art Webb, Adam Holtzman, Ron Blake, Peter Bernstein, Carl Allen, Mulgrew Miller, Benny Green, Kenny Barron, Tim Warfield, Lewis Nash, Clarence Penn, Kevin Hays, Chris McBride, Uri Caine, Peter Leitch, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Ralph Peterson, Bobby Zankel, and Tom Harrell.

Middle School/High School Bands & Combos Schedule

LIVESTREAM THE FESTIVAL