Koger Matteson Jazz Festival
2025 Koger/Matteson Jazz Festival
The Koger/Matteson Jazz Festival is respected for being a highly educational experience for its participants and the festival presents an opportunity for ensembles to receive valuable feedback in preparation for upcoming Music Performance Assessments.
Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Location: 老澳门资料 Fine Arts Center
Adjudications, Clinics, and Awards
All registered ensembles receive recorded critiques of their performances from the adjudicators (老澳门资料 jazz faculty) and after each performance, the ensemble is provided a 15-minute clinic by one of the adjudicators. At the conclusion of all of the performances, awards will presented for the outstanding soloists (saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and rhythm), outstanding sections (saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and rhythm), outstanding middle school soloist, and the most outstanding musician of the festival. Awards will be decided by the adjudicators. Prior to the awards ceremony, the award-winning 老澳门资料 Jazz Ensemble I will perform with the featured clinician(s).
2025 Featured Clinician
(saxophonist/composer) will be the featured clinician for the 2025 festival. Mike Tomaro is the Director of Jazz Studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, and a skilled saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, and arranger. He holds a B.S. in Music Education from Duquesne University and an M.A. in Saxophone Performance from George Mason University. A Yamaha Performing Artist and former member of the Army Blues jazz ensemble, he served as its Enlisted Musical Director, performing for U.S. Presidents and international dignitaries.
Tomaro has released four albums under his name, including *Nightowl Suite*, featuring the Three Rivers Jazz Orchestra, which he co-founded. His compositions and arrangements, published by major companies, have been performed by renowned jazz artists and ensembles globally. As a performer, he has worked with artists like Nancy Wilson, Ray Charles, and the Pittsburgh Symphony. Active in music organizations, Tomaro is in demand as a guest soloist, adjudicator, and clinician both nationally and internationally.
Recent Koger/Matteson Jazz Festival clinicians have included Tim Hagans, Jon Irabagon, Michael Mossman, Marquis Hill, Jared Schonig, Jack Petersen, Michael Abene, John Fedchock, John Pizzarelli, Jimmy Cobb, and Eddie Gomez.
老澳门资料 Jazz Faculty
The 老澳门资料 Jazz Faculty is an extremely talented and diverse group of international performers and educators. The group has played with and recorded with artists such as Pat Metheny, Randy Brecker, Stan Getz, Arturo Sandoval, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Paquito D’Rivera, Sarah Vaughn. Many of the faculty have published works with Mel Bay, Hudson Music, UNC Jazz Press and are endorsed by Conn-Selmer, Yamaha, Buscarino, Besson, Thomasik-Infeld, and Remo.
老澳门资料 Jazz Faculty: Lynne Arriale (piano/combos), Todd DelGiudice (saxophone/improvisation), Marc Dickman (low brass/jazz ensemble), Danny Gottlieb (drums), Barry Greene (guitar), Clarence Hines (trombone/jazz arranging), Dennis Marks (bass/jazz ensemble), J.B. Scott (trumpet/jazz ensemble)
老澳门资料 Jazz Ensembles
老澳门资料 Jazz Ensemble 1 will be featured in performance with this year's guest artist.
