We're excited to announce a North Metro Honor Jazz Band Program starting on Tuesday, March 20. This band is open to all musicians high school age or younger in the greater Twin Cities area. The instrumentation will be that of a traditional jazz big band - saxophones (alto, tenor, bari), trombones, trumpets, piano, bass, drums, and guitar. We’ll rehearse each Tuesday from 6:30 - 8:30 PM for 9 weeks starting March 20 at Spring Lake Park High School.

Apply! – While it is open to students from all over the Twin Cities area, the intent of this program is to offer musicians in the North Metro area a convenient opportunity to meet musicians from other schools, rehearse together in an environment of high expectations, perform, and produce a CD. If you're interested in having a great time learning challenging jazz music in the company of other fine young musicians, we hope you'll join us! Please apply by filling out and mailing in an application - available from your teacher or on-line.

Auditions - If we have more applicants than we can accommodate, we'll hold short auditions during early March of 2012. You'll be contacted before March 6 if we need to schedule an audition.

Click here for the 2012 Application Form.

Fees - There will be a $150 fee for participation, used to cover part of the costs of organizing and maintaining the band. Private contributions of time and money from individuals and businesses will cover the remaining costs.

Scholarships - No musician will be turned away because of financial need. If you would like information on scholarships, please contact us.

Rehearsal Dates (Tuesdays) - March 20, 27; April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 1, 8, 15; at Spring Lake Park High School.

Concert Date - Tuesday, May 22, 6:30 PM, Famous Dave's restaurant in Calhoun Square, Minneapolis.

Director - Brian Lukkasson is director of bands at Spring Lake Park High School and is on the founding board of the Minnesota Jazz Educators Association. At Spring Lake Park, he directs two concerts bands and leads the jazz program, which consist of 2 large ensembles and a combo that are taught through a composition and transcription based curriculum. Brian received a Bachelor of Arts in trombone performance at the University of Minnesota, Morris where he studied jazz pedagogy with Jim "Doc" Carlson. He also earned a Masters in Music Education with an instrumental focus from the University of St. Thomas.

The Minnesota Youth Jazz Bands Program - For the past eight years, the Minnesota Youth Jazz Bands program has sponsored three jazz big bands primarily composed of high school musicians from the greater Twin Cities area. Each band performs several concerts per year and records a CD and DVD. In the summer of 2011, our top band toured Europe and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival. We have long wanted to involve younger musicians in our program. The intent of our Mid Level Honor Jazz Band Program is to offer younger musicians a further opportunity to meet musicians from other schools, rehearse together in an environment of high expectations, perform, and produce a DVD.

For more information – please call us or email us
Minnesota Youth Jazz Bands, 950 Scenic Drive, Shoreview MN 55126
(651) 784-5136 Email: david.mitchell@comcast.net