Registration
Online group registration and payment of group registration fees must be received before a group is accepted into the Festival. Group registration will be accepted until two weeks before the Festival or until the Festival is full - whichever is sooner. Scheduling is on a first-come, first-served basis. Festival staff will honor scheduling requests to the best of their ability. A maximum of four groups from one school can be schedule on one day.
Categories and definitions
Eligible students may participate in the following categories:
- Band — 10 or more performers
- Combo — 2 to 9 performers
- Choir* — 10 or more performers
*Choirs are encouraged but not required to use student rhythm section players. You may also use professional musicians.
Participants
The Reno Jazz Festival is open to the following groups:
- Middle school: Students in grades 6-8
- High school: Students in grades 9-12
- School band ensembles will be assigned to performance rooms based on the student enrollment at their high school. There is no limit to the number of bands that a high school may enter. High schools will participate with the largest schools.
- Two-year colleges (junior college or two-year college)
- College or university (four-year institutions only)
Performance times
Bands, combos, and choirs will receive a total of 50 minutes for performance and feedback combined. Each group will have 20 minutes to perform and 30 minutes of professional feedback. When planning your program, remember that each performance time slot includes entry, set-up, announcements, performance, feedback and exit. Each group must remain within its allotted 50 minutes (bands, combos, choirs).
Festival staff will make every attempt to reschedule performances that miss their scheduled performance time due to unforeseen circumstances. Due to tight festival schedules and logistics, a rescheduled performance time is not guaranteed.