​Attention jazz band directors: Please fill out this brief survey regarding the state jazz festival

NJAJE State Jazz Festival

Preliminary Festival Locations (5:00 PM)
Monday, March 4, 2024 @ Liberty Middle School
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 @ Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 @ Wayne Valley High School
Thursday, March 7, 2024 @ Steinert High School
Friday, March 8, 2024 @ Southern Regional HS

Finals Locations for Saturday, April 27, 2024 (5:00 PM)
Division I @ JP Stevens High School
Division II @ Princeton High School
Division III @ Metuchen High School
The New Jersey Association for Jazz Education is presenting an opportunity to participate in the official jazz festival sponsored by your state organization devoted solely to jazz education.

The festival occurs in two phases:
  • A preliminary round of all participating ensembles, regardless of school size, held at five locations on consecutive nights and adjudicated by the same three professionals. Sight-reading is required and is scored as 15% of the total score in the preliminary round. Improvisation is also required as part of the sight-reading chart, and is one of the new components of the sight-reading adjudication sheet.
  • A final round held at three locations; each of the top nine scoring bands from the preliminary round is grouped by school enrollment. Sight-reading and improvisation are required and are identical to the preliminary round.

To participate in the NJAJE Jazz festivals, please fill out the NJAJE Festival, Conference, and Membership Application form and follow the appropriate instructions.

Downloads for the State Jazz Festival:
State Jazz Festival Rules and Regulations (Revised for 2024)
State Jazz Festival Attendance Policy
Scoring Rubrics
​Performance Adjudication Sheet
Sight Reading Adjudication Sheet
Sight Reading Adjudication Procedures
2024 Divisions for Finals

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

2023 Festival Results

Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place        Newark Academy Chameleon
2nd Place       JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble
3rd Place        Eastern Regional Jazz Ensemble

Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order)
BRHS Monday Band
Cherokee High School Jazz Ensemble
Edison High School Jazz Ensemble
Newark Academy "NA Big Band"
PCTVS Jazz Band
Southern Regional Jazz Ensemble

Section Awards
Saxophone    Eastern
Trumpet         John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble
Trombone      John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble
Rhythm          Newark Academy Chameleon

Solo Awards
Samar Munagala, Trumpet, JP Stevens JE
Yasmeena Sharif, Vocalist, NA Chameleon
Akshay Khatri, Flute, Edison
Kapes Sukhavasi, Bass, JP Stevens JE

Rick Kerber Scholarship
Matthew Nelson, Drums, J.P. Stevens JE

​Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award
John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place      Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers
2nd Place     Princeton Studio Band
3rd Place      Mount Olive Jazz Ensemble

Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order)
Cherry Hill West Jazz Ensemble
Morristown Spectrum Jazz Ensemble
Princeton Jazz Ensemble
Shawnee Jazz Band
Shawnee Jazz Ensemble
Steinert Jazz Band

Section Awards
Saxophone     SPF Moonglowers
Trumpet          Princeton Studio Band
Trombone       Shawnee Jazz Band
Rhythm           SPF Moonglowers

Solo Awards
Drew Wakefield, Guitar, Princeton Jazz Ensemble
Connor Stewart, Drums, Princeton Studio Band
Hasan Ali, Alto Sax, SPF Moonglowers
Rehan Ahmed, Trumpet, Princeton Jazz Ensemble

Rick Kerber Scholarship
Jiakun (Kevin) Huang, Alto Sax, Princeton Studio

Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award
Princeton Studio Band
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place        Deptford Jazz Ensemble
2nd Place       Sterling Jazz Band
3rd Place        Elizabeth Jazz Band

Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order)
Delaware Valley Golden Blues
Highland Regional HS
Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble
Moorestown HS Honors Jazz Band
Overbrook High School Jazz Band
Wayne Valley Jazz Band

Section Awards
Saxophone     Elizabeth 
Trumpet          Deptford
Trombone       Deptford
Rhythm           Sterling

Solo Awards
Isabelle Mailman, Alto Sax, Wayne Valley HS
Nicholas Mikhail, Trumpet, Wayne Valley HS
Daniella Guevarra, Piano, Elizabeth HS
Vera Caruso, Vocalist, Sterling HS

Rick Kerber Scholarship
Sara Smith, Flute, Highland Regional HS

Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award
Moorestown HS Honors Jazz Band