Elmhurst University hosts 55th annual Jazz Festival

Elmhurst University held its 55th annual Jazz Festival on Feb. 24-27, in the Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel. The festival featured high school jazz bands, including Hinsdale Central High School, West Aurora High School, and Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage. 

Universities in attendance included Columbia College, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. 

After hosting last year’s jazz festival online, EU was back in person this year and offered a live stream of the event. 

During the Feb. 26 performance, EU’s jazz band featured the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra from New York.

Eric Donson, a first-year trombone player, was excited about the festival and enjoyed playing in it for the first time. 

“My favorite part of the festival would either be playing, or gaining hands-on experience with the setup, as I would like to go into the music field of study,” said Donson. 

“The festival is above all a forum for jazz education,” read the Jazz Festival program. “It is a gathering where some of the world’s most acclaimed artists come together with the next generation of musicians not only to perform the music, but also to study it.”

Iconic jazz musicians such as Clark Terry, Diana Krall, and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band have all performed at EU’s Jazz Festival. Some EU alumni who have made their name in the field of jazz music are Rich Perry, Cecil Bridgewater, and Tim Hagans. 

The next Jazz Festival will take place in February 2023.