Maine Motif Issue 2, Vol. II (Winter, 2018) | Page 27

Jazz Happenings in Maine
By Mike Sakash, MMEA Jazz VP
As we prepare for our spring classes and ensembles, Maine State Jazz Festival hosts are
busy preparing for the MMEA jazz season. This year’s Jazz All State Festival at South
Portland High School (January 11-13) will feature 102 of Maine’s talented instrumental
and vocal jazz students. The star-studded roster of guest conductors includes the Dave
Matthews Band saxophonist Jeff Coffin, nationally recognized composer Kris Berg, and
composer and vocal recording artist Rosana Eckert.
In March, the jazz season continues with the Maine State High School Instrumental Jazz
Festival (March 16 and 17), hosted by Nokomis High School in Newport. Qualifying
middle school jazz ensembles will travel to Stearns High School, in Millinocket for the
Maine State Middle School Instrumental Jazz Festival on March 24th. The Maine State
Vocal Jazz and Show Choir Festival has been scheduled later this year due to Easter. We
are pleased that Stearns High School will host this festival again this year, on April 6 th
and 7 th .
This year’s state instrumental jazz festivals will continue to use the gold, silver, bronze
medal system, while the vocal festival will use a hybrid system that combines both
medals and the trophy system used in prior years.
Looking ahead the Maine All-
State Conference on May 17 th
and 18th, the MMEA is
excited to welcome UNH Jazz
Studies Director, Dr. Nate
Jorgensen, and University of
Southern Maine Jazz Studies
Director, Dr. Chris
Oberholtzer as featured jazz
presenters. Dr. Jorgensen
and Dr. Oberholtzer will
Dr. Nate Jorgensen
Dr. Chris Oberholtzer