NJAJE State Jazz Festival

Preliminary Festival Locations (5:00 PM)
Monday, March 1, 2027 @ Metuchen High School
Tuesday, March 2, 2027 @ Liberty Middle School
Wednesday, March 3, 2027 @ Wayne Valley High School
Thursday, March 4, 2027 @ Steinert High School
Friday, March 5, 2027 @ Sterling High School

Finals Locations for Saturday, May 1, 2027 (4:00 PM)
Division I @ JP Stevens High School
Division II @ Princeton High School
Division III @ Metuchen High School
The Kerber Scholarship Application closes
​Friday, April 24, 11:59 PM.
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 2026)
State Jazz Festival Attendance Policy
Scoring Rubrics
​Performance Adjudication Sheet
Sight Reading Adjudication Sheet
Sight Reading Adjudication Procedures
​Advice from adjudicator Wilbur Wittemann

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

2026 Festival Results (Click here for the Festival Archive)

Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place       Newark Academy Chameleon
2nd Place      West Orange HS Jazz Ensemble I
3rd Place       Livingston Lancer Jazz Band

Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order)
Cherokee High School Jazz Ensemble
Edison High School Jazz Ensemble
JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble
JP Stevens High School Lab Jazz Band
Newark Academy "NA Big Band"
PCTVS Jazz Band

Section Awards
Saxophone    West Orange
Trumpet         Livingston
Trombone      JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble 
Rhythm          Edison

Solo Awards
Jay Thatte, Tenor Sax, NA Chameleon
Luvans Lafleur, Trombone, West Orange
Cesar Miranda, Piano, PCTVS
Luis Rosa, Tenor Saxophone, PCTVS

Rick Kerber Scholarship
Matthew Lee, Trumpet, NA Chameleon

​Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award
Newark Academy Chameleon
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place      Princeton Studio Band
2nd Place     Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers
3rd Place      Kingsway Reg. Select Jazz Ensemble

Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order)
Elizabeth Jazz Band
Moorestown Honors Jazz Band
Morristown Spectrum Jazz Ensemble
Princeton Jazz Ensemble
Shawnee Jazz Ensemble
Steinert Jazz Band

Section Awards
Saxophone     SPF Moonglowers
Trumpet          Kingsway
Trombone       Princeton Studio
Rhythm           SPF Moonglowers

Solo Awards
Mia Coscarello, Alto Sax, SPF Moonglowers
Matthew Ghaim, Trombone, Princeton Studio Band
Lucas Comesana, Trumpet, Princeton Studio Band
Dillon Vasquex, Drums, Princeton Jazz Ensemble
​
Rick Kerber Scholarship
Lira Carrig, Trumpet, Kingsway

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        Metuchen Jazz Ensemble

Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order)
Overbrook High School Jazz Band
Pascack Valley Jazz Band
Ramsey High School Jazz Band
Robbinsville High School Jazz Band
Seneca Jazz Ensemble
West Milford High School Jazz Ensemble

Section Awards
Saxophone     Sterling
Trumpet          Metuchen
Trombone       West Milford
Rhythm           Ramsey

Solo Awards
Faith Sandig, Deptford HS
Brooke Daily, Robbinsville HS
Kayla Wolf, West Milford HS
Francine Tatoy, Deptford HS ​

Rick Kerber Scholarship
Giancarlo Crapanzano, Robbinsville HS

Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award
Pascack Valley