USC Jazz Festival

The University of South Carolina Jazz Festival is a learning, adjudication and performance opportunity for regional high school and middle school jazz students to perform for and work with our world class jazz faculty. This year’s festival featured special guest Michael Dease.

2024 USC Jazz Festival and Adjudication

Date to be announced soon!

Example of Schedule: School of Music Recital Hall
7:30 p.m.	Performance by special guest artist and the USC Jazz Faculty Ensemble
Saturday – Koger Center for the Arts
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.	Adjudication Festival
7:30 p.m.	Performance by guest artist(s) with the Left Bank Big Band

Each ensemble will have a 30-minute warm-up period, a 30-minute performance period on Koger Main Stage and a 30-minute clinic with our jazz faculty or guest artist. Ensembles will also receive a professional recording of their performance.

Registration includes free tickets for all students to the evening concerts. There will be musical vendors on site. The Koger Center is conveniently located near numerous dining and entertainment options. Hotel discounts are available for ensembles wishing to stay overnight.

About the 2023 Guest Artist

Michael Dease is one of the world’s eminent trombonists, lending his versatile sound and signature improvisations to over 200 recordings and groups as diverse as grammy winning artists David Sanborn, Christian McBride, Michel Camilo and Alicia Keys. Born in Augusta, GA, he played the saxophone and trumpet before choosing the trombone at age 17. In 2001, Dease moved to New York City to become part of the historic first class of jazz students at the Juilliard School, earning both bachelors and masters degrees, and quickly established a reputation as a brilliant soloist, sideperson and bandleader. To learn more about Michael, click here .

School of Music