Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival
Français
« The NYJF began in 1992 as the idea of Mike Skipper, head of music at St. Andrews College and Diocesan School for Girls, who invited teachers and pupils at selected high schools to attend a three-day festival, where Darius Brubeck would give some guidance in jazz education, focused on high school jazz programmes. The festival started with 43 students and three teachers, and was so successful that it rapidly attracted large numbers of participants such that now there are 230 students from all over South Africa, along with 50 teachers, 100 lecturers and performers, with a full administrative staff as well. Alan Webster, from Stirling High School, East London, took over as Director of the festival in 2001, while Mike Skipper continued to assist in the administration.
A National Schools’ Big Band was selected in 1995 for the first time, and from 1998 students from tertiary institutions began to attend, with the selection also of a National Youth Big Band. A third band – the small National Youth Jazz Band – began to be selected from 2001, drawing the cream of the improvisers, and playing South African jazz written and arranged by the conductor of the band: Marc Duby (2001), Barney Rachabane (2002), Darius Brubeck (2003), Carlo Mombelli (2004), Zim Ngqawana (2005) and Brian Thusi (2006). Many of the young players selected to these national bands in the past eight years have gone on to forge significant careers in professional jazz already, providing a critical foundation for the strengthening of South Africa’s jazz heritage.
The festival, sharing the audiences of the National Arts Festival, has become the most significant jazz development programme in the country, and its reputation for innovative performance from across the South African jazz spectrum – established and youth – is also becoming renowned. It forms the official Main Jazz Stage of the Festival, with three top-class performances per night. Professional jazz performers and educators from around the country acknowledge its importance and happily agree to be lecturers, making the SBNYJF a vibrant, professional barometer of South African jazz and its future. »
A National Schools’ Big Band was selected in 1995 for the first time, and from 1998 students from tertiary institutions began to attend, with the selection also of a National Youth Big Band. A third band – the small National Youth Jazz Band – began to be selected from 2001, drawing the cream of the improvisers, and playing South African jazz written and arranged by the conductor of the band: Marc Duby (2001), Barney Rachabane (2002), Darius Brubeck (2003), Carlo Mombelli (2004), Zim Ngqawana (2005) and Brian Thusi (2006). Many of the young players selected to these national bands in the past eight years have gone on to forge significant careers in professional jazz already, providing a critical foundation for the strengthening of South Africa’s jazz heritage.
The festival, sharing the audiences of the National Arts Festival, has become the most significant jazz development programme in the country, and its reputation for innovative performance from across the South African jazz spectrum – established and youth – is also becoming renowned. It forms the official Main Jazz Stage of the Festival, with three top-class performances per night. Professional jazz performers and educators from around the country acknowledge its importance and happily agree to be lecturers, making the SBNYJF a vibrant, professional barometer of South African jazz and its future. »
English
« The NYJF began in 1992 as the idea of Mike Skipper, head of music at St. Andrews College and Diocesan School for Girls, who invited teachers and pupils at selected high schools to attend a three-day festival, where Darius Brubeck would give some guidance in jazz education, focused on high school jazz programmes. The festival started with 43 students and three teachers, and was so successful that it rapidly attracted large numbers of participants such that now there are 230 students from all over South Africa, along with 50 teachers, 100 lecturers and performers, with a full administrative staff as well. Alan Webster, from Stirling High School, East London, took over as Director of the festival in 2001, while Mike Skipper continued to assist in the administration.
A National Schools’ Big Band was selected in 1995 for the first time, and from 1998 students from tertiary institutions began to attend, with the selection also of a National Youth Big Band. A third band – the small National Youth Jazz Band – began to be selected from 2001, drawing the cream of the improvisers, and playing South African jazz written and arranged by the conductor of the band: Marc Duby (2001), Barney Rachabane (2002), Darius Brubeck (2003), Carlo Mombelli (2004), Zim Ngqawana (2005) and Brian Thusi (2006). Many of the young players selected to these national bands in the past eight years have gone on to forge significant careers in professional jazz already, providing a critical foundation for the strengthening of South Africa’s jazz heritage.
The festival, sharing the audiences of the National Arts Festival, has become the most significant jazz development programme in the country, and its reputation for innovative performance from across the South African jazz spectrum – established and youth – is also becoming renowned. It forms the official Main Jazz Stage of the Festival, with three top-class performances per night. Professional jazz performers and educators from around the country acknowledge its importance and happily agree to be lecturers, making the SBNYJF a vibrant, professional barometer of South African jazz and its future. »
A National Schools’ Big Band was selected in 1995 for the first time, and from 1998 students from tertiary institutions began to attend, with the selection also of a National Youth Big Band. A third band – the small National Youth Jazz Band – began to be selected from 2001, drawing the cream of the improvisers, and playing South African jazz written and arranged by the conductor of the band: Marc Duby (2001), Barney Rachabane (2002), Darius Brubeck (2003), Carlo Mombelli (2004), Zim Ngqawana (2005) and Brian Thusi (2006). Many of the young players selected to these national bands in the past eight years have gone on to forge significant careers in professional jazz already, providing a critical foundation for the strengthening of South Africa’s jazz heritage.
The festival, sharing the audiences of the National Arts Festival, has become the most significant jazz development programme in the country, and its reputation for innovative performance from across the South African jazz spectrum – established and youth – is also becoming renowned. It forms the official Main Jazz Stage of the Festival, with three top-class performances per night. Professional jazz performers and educators from around the country acknowledge its importance and happily agree to be lecturers, making the SBNYJF a vibrant, professional barometer of South African jazz and its future. »
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