The School of the Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno is seeking volunteers for the 2020 Reno Jazz Festival, held from Thursday, April 23 to Saturday, April 25, at the University of Nevada, Reno campus. 

For the 58th year, the Reno Jazz Festival will welcome students, musicians and guests to the University campus for two-and-a-half days full of jazz. More than 100 volunteers help to transform the University campus into a hub for jazz, music education and innovation for approximately 9,000 visitors. 

“In order to accommodate the many attendees, the Reno Jazz Festival relies upon the generous support volunteers who serve as door monitors, timers, announcers and stage monitors,” Peter Epstein, director of the Reno Jazz Festival, said. “Volunteers help to ensure the Festival runs smoothly while supporting the next generation of jazz musicians.”

For each half-day shift that a volunteer works, they are eligible to receive a free ticket to the evening concert on the day they volunteer. On Thursday, the evening concert will feature vibraphonist Joel Ross performing with The Collective (the University’s jazz faculty ensemble). Friday evening’s concert will feature Grammy Award nominated vocalist Jazzmeia Horn. The Festival concludes on Saturday evening, with the Reno Jazz Festival Showcase and Awards Ceremony, featuring performances by the best of the best. 

The Festival runs from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, April 23, and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25. One volunteer shift generally averages five hours. All volunteers receive a Festival T-shirt, a ticket to the evening performance (the day that they volunteer) and snacks. Lunch is provided to volunteers who work two consecutive shifts. In addition, the Festival is offering a new volunteer give-away this year. For each shift served, volunteers will be entered into the giveaway raffle.

All volunteers must attend one mandatory volunteer orientation, either on Sunday, April 19 at 1 p.m. or on Tuesday, April 21 at 6 p.m.  

For more information or to become a Reno Jazz Festival volunteer, email rjfvolunteer@unr.edu, or call 775-784-4278. 

About the Reno Jazz Festival

Considered one of the best of its kind in the world, and lauded by the San Francisco Chronicle as “showcasing music’s future,” the Reno Jazz Festival has been hosting jazz superstars and the finest jazz students, educators and professional musicians in the nation since 1962. The Reno Jazz Festival includes evening concerts with internationally recognized artists as well as daytime competitions, concerts, workshops and clinics by dozens of professional jazz artists and educators. 

To purchase tickets for the Reno Jazz Festival performances call the Lawlor ticket office at 775-784-4444. 

In addition to the Reno Jazz Festival, the School of the Arts also presents the Performing Arts Series and Lake Tahoe Music Camp as well as world-class visual art exhibitions, musical performances, theatre productions, dance concerts and public arts events presented by the departments of Art, Music and Theatre and Dance. The School’s degree programs provide a strong foundation in a range of artistic disciplines, enabling students to contribute as artists, educators and scholars at the local level and beyond. Finally, the School, as well as the College of Liberal Arts, encourage broad campus and community participation in the arts through its numerous performances, lectures, exhibitions, core courses and outreach activities that explore diverse cultures and encourage lifelong learning.

The University of Nevada, Reno Jazz Festival receives financial support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency; the University of Nevada, Reno; the University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Student Association; and The Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno. Hotel rooms are provided by The Row and marketing support is provided by CLM Design. 

For more information about School of the Arts, visit unr.edu/arts, call 775-784-4278, or email arts@unr.edu. Event information, news and photos also are available by following the School of the Arts’ Instagram and Twitter handles: @NVArts365, and Facebook pages.