CLAZZ

The combination of jazz and classical music at one festival is a unique concept. The world-famous Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is an annual guest and exclusive attraction at Assisi Performing Arts.

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

Jazz Assisi is a partnership between Assisi Performing Arts, Planet Arts, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Blujazz Productions. The goal is to create and maintain a jazz performance/education initiative at Assisi Performing Arts that is linked to the Kingston Jazz Festival in Kingston, NY. The aim is to provide a series of performances, workshops, seminars and masterclasses that will impact general audiences, music students as well as developing artists and create an active forum for the exchange and dissemination of ideas related to jazz and the creative process.

The 2009 edition of Jazz Assisi took place from July 6 through 9, and featured performances by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Interactive educational workshops were facilitated by Planet Arts, and included a Music Industry Connections seminar and a Precepts of Swing workshop conducted by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

Directed by Greg Scime, Assisi Performing Arts has a solid reputation for nurturing young vocal and instrumental performers by pairing them with working professionals. Jazz Assisi will model this concept and serve as an apprenticeship program for developing artists. The residency based program will offer a variety of services by partnership members and include guest artists from the USA and Italy at both the Kingston Jazz Festival and Jazz Assisi on an annual basis.

Photo descriptions:

(Left) Outdoor performance of The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra on the Piazza Commune; (Above) Workshop: Precepts of Swing by Dennis Irwin, John Mosca, John Riley and Michael Weiss.