Organization

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The Jass Festival

From 1995-2004, the Jass Festival performed in the parks of Minot each August. The purpose was to promote jazz and enlighten the public on jazz music. In 2005, the festival moved to Fargo, a convenient location for many members and performers. The directors and staff of the festival also believed that their mission had been fulfilled in Minot, and that Fargo would be a wonderful place to continue the goals of the Jass organization and forge into the future.

The way the Jass Festival is run and managed makes the organization unique. Directors of the performing groups range from aspiring musicians- many of them current music majors at college universities- to music educators in the area. The mentorship opportunities offered at the Jass Festival provide some of the best hands-on training these future musicians and educators will enjoy before receiving their diploma and entering the professional workforce.

The festival gives members a taste of the leadership, mentorship and organization it takes to make a large-scale musical event happen. In the 17 years of the Jass Festival, more than 250 different musicians from North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Georgia, Texas, New York and Canada have been involved. Many of those musicians have gone on to be successful freelance performers and teachers across the nation. A list of all musicians involved in this year’s presentation is included with this release.