Daytime Clinics + Concerts
Friday April 26 + Saturday 27 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Participants and attendees have access to two full days of daytime concerts and jazz clinics, covering a range of topics presented by accomplished jazz musicians and Artist Educators from around the nation, including our guest artists GEORGE and Terell Stafford; and, 2024 Festival Composer Jessika Smith. Also, faculty from the distinguished Berklee College of Music’s Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, in Boston, will lead a conversation about equity and jazz.
Daytime Clinics + Concert schedule
| Time and Location | Event description |
|---|---|
| 10 a.m. Hall Recital Hall |
Masterclass with Terell Stafford |
| 11 a.m. Hall Recital Hall |
Setting New Standards with the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice |
| 1 p.m. USAC Building |
Improvisational Phrasing Through Target Points, Jon Hatamiya Dive deeper into emphasizing phrase lengths and phrase endings to create momentum in addition to melodic and harmonic variety in improvisations. |
| 1 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
Entrepreneurship 101: How to Launch Your Music Career, Hannah Marks In her Entrepreneurship 101 clinic, bassist, bandleader, and composer Hannah Marks will give you the tools you need to launch a budding music career. Mastering the business side of music is what will keep you visible and in demand in the industry. From website development and releasing an album, to booking tours and applying for grants, you’ll cover essential business skills that will help your career soar. |
| 2 p.m. USAC Buliding |
Concert: Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Trio |
| 2 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
Making & Releasing Your Record, Julien Knowles If we want to push the music forward as artists we must make and release music! This can be a daunting task as there are many moving parts to this process. Join trumpeter/composer Julien Knowles as he shares a thorough outline of everything you should prepare and consider — including what he wished he had considered himself — before making your first record. |
| 3 p.m. USAC Building |
How to Sound Like Yourself: Tips on Artistry, Individuality, & Creativity, Nicole McCabe Taught by composer and saxophonist Nicole McCabe, this clinic will help you find ideas on how to customize your practice routine, create a sustainable career in jazz and creative music, and find your voice while learning the jazz language. Participants will be looking at current jazz musicians who have created a unique name for themselves as well as learning about Nicole’s personal experience. |
| 3 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
The Lives of Six Black Female Instrumentalists of the 1920s-1960s, Bailey Grogan This clinic explores six black female jazz instrumentalists of the 20th century. These women are all extremely underrepresented in literature despite their extraordinary work and talent. This session will explore their lives, careers, contributions, and the reasons why women are often not commonly remembered in the canon of jazz history. |
| 4 p.m. USAC Building |
Customizing A Standard, Kerry Politzer Join pianist Kerry Politzer in this interactive clinic geared toward truly making a standard your own. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with different parameters such as meter, introductions, feels, and more. |
| 4 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
Listening to John Carter’s Roots & Folklore, Julian Tanaka Engage in a guided listening tour of John Carter’s landwork composition, Roots and Folklore: Episodes in the Development of American Folk Music. Passages will be played from each of the five installments - Dauwhe, Castles of Ghana, Dance of the Love Ghosts, Fields, and Shadows on a Wall. |
| Time and Location | Event description |
|---|---|
| 11 a.m. USAC Building |
Composing for Improvisers, Cathlene Pineda When should we notate something and when should we leave it up to the members of the band? Composing scores for improvisers can feel restrictive and difficult at times. In this clinic, we will cover various techniques and approaches to help you create a playful and also meaningful sound in your music. |
| 12 p.m. Hall Recital Hall |
Masterclass with GEORGE |
| 12 p.m. Nightingale Concert Hall |
Addressing Gender Inclusivity in Jazz Education, Nichole Heglund The Sapphire Jazz Ensemble of Northern Nevada will perform. A dynamic roundtable discussion will follow on the topic of pathways to inclusivity and empowerment in jazz education. Panelists will discuss current research on the topic as well as innovative strategies to overcome barriers. |
| 1 p.m. USAC Building |
The Intersection of Polytonality and Free Improvisation, Naomi Nakanishi Create a variety of ways to perform a standard tune outside of its generic function using advanced harmonic flexibility, deconstructing form structures, and free improvising. This workshop will serve as a backbone to guide/help facilitate momentum during your improvisations. |
| 1 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
Applying to Collegiate Music School Programs, Tina Raymond Learn all there is to know about applying to music school. Topics include general university application processes, music school applications, pre-screening requirements, creating a résumé, live and remote auditions and putting your best foot forward to receive scholarships. |
| 2 p.m. USAC Building |
Concert: Epstein-Reed-Giddens-Mayhall Quartet Join University of Nevada, Reno professors Peter Epstein (saxophone) and Josh Reed (trumpet) alongside RJF Artist Educators Richard Giddens (bass) and Matt Mayhall (drums) for a daytime concert. |
| 2 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
How to Internalize the Feeling of Swing, Josh Murray The Swing feel is the basis of Jazz music, and even modern, straight-eighth-based Jazz styles are informed by Swing. Learning to play effectively requires an understanding of and commitment to Swing. We will go through some exercises designed to get physically invested in the pulse and triple feel of Swing. Warning: Requires mildly awkward dancing! |
| 3 p.m. USAC Building |
Creating Vocal Warm-ups for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Jamie Shew Learn how to create a vocal warm-up routine for jazz and contemporary music that includes mindset & relaxation, musculature, breath connection, tonal stability & colors, agility, articulation and FUN! |
| 3 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
RJF Composer Insights + Q&A with Jessika Smith Join the 2024 Reno Jazz Festival’s composer to learn more about the process of how Silver Rush was written for this year’s participants. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Jessika — especially if you were one of the students who performed Silver Rush during the Festival! |
| 4 p.m. MIKC Auditorium |
The Checklist, Peter Epstein Developed with the intention of facilitating successful and effortless instrumental execution, join saxophonist/composer/University of Nevada, Reno jazz faculty member Peter Epstein and learn more about The Checklist. His systematic approach to acquiring the physical memory necessary to execute what to play — whatever the source or inspiration — creates a comprehensive foundation that then allows one to focus primarily on creativity and the musical impulses of the moment. |