Forms for the 2025 Festival
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Forms
The following forms need to be submitted online one week prior to the start of the festival. Registration Instructions (Read this first) Example Stage Layout (for reference only) Stage Layout - Combo Stage Layout - Jazz Band Stage Layout - Vocal Jazz Stage Layout - Combination Choir Participant Contact Information Repertoire List Director's Nomination of Outstanding Performers Photography Restrictions |
Rules and Important Information:
This is a must read for all directors. The link here is a printable/downloadable version of the document. You can also read the full text below. BC Interior Jazz Festival Rules |
B.C. Interior Jazz Festival 2025
Festival Coordinator: Chris Perry
April 10th, 11th, and 12th, 2025
Kelowna Community Theatre and Rotary Centre for the Arts
Kelowna, BC, Canada
- General Information
- Objectives
- For Directors:
- Ensemble Director Responsibility
- Conduct
- Director’s Reception
- Adjudication
- Workshops
- Jazz Artists’ Showcase Concert
- Student Showcase Concert
- Awards
- MusicFest Canada Invitations
- RCA Thursday night Jazz Jam and Thursday Night Concert(TBA)
- Registration
- Deadlines
- Waitlists
- Fees
- Mailing Address
- Changes and Cancellations
- Rules and Guidelines
- Performance Schedule
- Scores
- Sound Technician
- Instrumental Jazz
- Instrumental Classification
- Instrumental Repertoire
- Instrumental Category (Jazz Combo and Jazz Band)
- Instrumentation
- Equipment Provided for Instrumental Jazz
- Schedule for Instrumental Jazz
- Vocal Jazz
- Vocal Classification
- Vocal Repertoire
- Vocal Category (Vocal Jazz Combo, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Combination Choir)
- Accompaniment
- Equipment provided for Vocal Jazz
- Schedule for Vocal Jazz
Objectives:
The objective of the festival is to promote the pursuit of music excellence and music education, with a focus on jazz, in the schools and the community. The festival also aims to provide members of the community opportunities to participate in the musical education experience through workshops and high-calibre concerts.
Ensemble Director Responsibility:
It is the responsibility of each ensemble director to read the rules and regulations and all pertinent information. The director must be prepared to abide by all of the rules and regulations; registration in the festival will be an acknowledgement of that decision. It is the responsibility of each ensemble director to discuss the rules and regulations and all pertinent information with all participants in preparation for attending the festival.
Conduct:
Adjudicators are asked to advise the festival committee if at any time they are faced with incidents of inappropriate conduct. Problems and violations brought to the attention of the festival committee (at any time during the festival) will be dealt with appropriately and if such problems persist, may result in disqualification from all awards, invitations, and honours.
Director’s Reception:
The festival hosts a Director’s Reception for ensemble directors immediately following the Friday evening Jazz Artists’ Showcase Concert. Join the festival committee and other directors for networking and light socializing.
Adjudication:
The BC Interior Jazz Festival is first and foremost an educational festival. Assessment tools and format, including written and recorded comments, as well as the post-performance conference are designed to help directors and students focus on strengths, discover weaknesses, and determine areas which need to be explored further. Every aspect of the performance will be evaluated. Written and recorded adjudications will be available shortly following the completion of a particular category/class and may be picked up at the registration desk at that time.
Based upon the adjudicator evaluations, each group will receive a rating of either Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Participation. Outstanding groups may be awarded an invitation to MusicFest Canada.
We aim to employ the services of individuals who display both a high level of vocal or instrumental expertise as well as an understanding of the needs and sensitivities of student musicians; this year is no exception. Check the website for details and updates.
Workshops:
The festival offers free workshops hosted by the Featured Artist(s) and local musicians. See the website and schedule for more information.
Jazz Artists’ Showcase Concert:
Once again, we will be offering a high-quality Friday evening Jazz Artists’ Showcase Concert. Often referred to as “the best jazz concert in Kelowna of the year,” this concert features small group performances from each of our adjudicators and the Featured Guest Artist as well as a set from the BC Interior Jazz Festival Big Band, directed by Craig Thomson. This concert is free for festival participants; festival participant tickets are available upon request through directors during the festival registration process. Members of the public can also purchase tickets through the Kelowna Community Theatre box office. See our website for more details.
Student Showcase Concert:
The Saturday evening Showcase Concert is a performance celebrating the many excellent jazz bands, combos, and vocal groups from all performance categories in the festival. All instrumental and vocal ensembles (with the exception of those in the Combination Choir category) should be prepared to participate in the Saturday evening Student Showcase Concert. Failure to participate, if asked to do so, may render the group ineligible to receive an invitation to MusicFest Canada.
Groups will not be advised of anything (marks, possible invitation to the Student Showcase Concert, etc.) until the completion of their category of involvement (Junior IV Jazz Band, Senior Vocal Jazz, etc.). Please do not ask the adjudicators about the Student Showcase Concert participants prior to the completion of all categories. Thank you.
All directors (even those who do not receive invitations to perform) will receive the list of invited groups via email so that they can communicate with their groups about potential performances. Since the festival is no longer competitive, groups invited to perform are not considered to have won any category and may be featured based on any number of criteria as determined by our adjudicators. Typically, one group per category is invited to perform, however, multiple groups from a given category may be invited. Groups participating in the Student Showcase Concert will only be allowed to perform one selection of their choice.
Classification rules do not apply to the Student Showcase Concert. Groups are encouraged to use students from their same school to fill in for missing performers, however subs from other schools and local professionals are available. Please contact the festival coordinator immediately if you are invited to perform, but one or more of your students cannot attend.
Awards:
There are five (5) festival-wide awards that are recognized at the Saturday Evening Student Showcase Concert. The awards are as follows:
- Most Outstanding Rhythm Section Player
- Most Outstanding Brass Player
- Most Outstanding Woodwind Player
- Most Outstanding Vocalist
- Rising Star
MusicFest Canada Invitations:
Outstanding ensembles may receive an invitation to MusicFest Canada. Each year, the BC Interior Jazz Festival gives approximately sixteen (16) ensembles invitations to MusicFest Canada on the basis of merit. Please note that combination choirs are not eligible for an invitation to MusicFest Canada.
RCA Thursday Night Jazz Jam:
This weekly event is exceptionally fun during the festival since there are so many musicians. Join the hosts, Stephen Buck and Craig Thomson, for a welcoming and educational jam session. 5-7pm on Thursday night at the RCA atrium.
Thurs Night Concert:
TBA
Registration:
Registration and form submissions are now completed online. Registration forms and documents (instrumentation and number of student performers, repertoire selections, solo placement and order, photo restrictions (FOIPOP) etc.) must be completed one (1) week prior to the festival according to the registration deadlines. See website for more details on online registration and document submission guidelines.
We appreciate your registration in our festival. Please be aware that we must limit our registration to seventy-five (75) groups. Groups will be registered on a first come, first served basis. Groups whose registrations are received after the final spot is filled will be put on a waiting list in the order that their registration is received. The festival often fills up before the official deadline. A substantial waiting list has occurred throughout the past number of years, so we ask you to register early to avoid disappointment.
Before you register, please read the BC Interior Jazz Festival Rules and Guidelines.
Registration fees are $300.00 per group plus $10 per student. These registration fees also include tickets for all participating students and directors to the Friday evening Jazz Artists’ Showcase Concert ($30-$50 ticketed event) - directors must request tickets to receive them.
All cheques should be made payable to: “B.C. Interior Jazz Festival.” Please note the mailing address for festival registration payments:
BC Interior Jazz Festival
PO BOX 21111 Orchard Park
Kelowna BC
V1Y 9N8
Changes and Cancellations:
Please notify us of any changes to your registration documents, particularly regarding performance category; for example, switching from ‘senior’ to ‘intermediate’ jazz band. Since we are a non-profit festival, ‘last minute’ cancellations cause financial problems that we are unable to endure.
Please notify us immediately if you have registered for an adjudicated performance but are unable to attend the festival and need to cancel your registration. Groups who register for the festival and then do not appear for their performance cause awkward holes in the program. If we are aware of these cancellations in advance, we can aim to change the schedule so that the on-stage continuity is not disrupted. Thank you.
Rules and Guidelines:
Performance Schedule:
Groups are asked to wait in the KCT or RCA lobby, depending on the performance location, before warmup. A Festival Traffic Volunteer will properly direct each group to ensure the festival runs smoothly. Thank you.
Each participating group at the festival will receive:
1. Twenty-five (25) minutes in warm-up,
2. Twenty-five (25) minutes on stage, and
3. Twenty-five (25) minutes of private adjudication.
Please note that each group’s on-stage time begins immediately following the MC’s introduction of their group. Each group’s adjudication time begins immediately following the performance. Under special circumstances, groups may have more time if the stage manager decides that a delay is beyond control.
Scores:
Scores for the adjudicators are recommended, but not required for any performing group (instrumental or vocal) at the BC Interior Jazz Festival.
Sound Technician:
The festival will provide a sound technician for performances at the Kelowna Community Theatre. Though not required, it is suggested that each group provide a score and/or sound advisor to work with our sound technician at the time of performance. No group will be allowed to use their own sound technician.
Instrumental Jazz:
Classification for Instrumental Jazz:
Senior I: All members of the performing group must be registered in grade 12 or lower as of January 1st, the year of the festival. Each member must also be currently enrolled in a secondary school or schools taught by the same director represented during the current school year. This is equivalent to the MusicFest A301 category.
Intermediate II: All members of the performing group must be sixteen (16) years of age or less as of January 1st, the year of the festival, or be registered in grade 11 (grade 11 students older than 17 years still qualify as intermediate). Each member must also be enrolled in the secondary school, or schools taught by the same director represented during the current school year. No members may be registered in a grade higher than 11. This is equivalent to the MusicFest A401 category.
Junior III: All members of the performing group must be fifteen (15) years of age or less as of January 1st, the year of the festival, or be registered in grade 10 (grade 10 students older than 15 years still qualify as Junior III). Each member must also be enrolled in the secondary school, or schools taught by the same director represented during the current school year. No members may be registered in a grade higher than 10. This is equivalent to the MusicFest A501 category.
Junior IV: All members of the performing group must be fourteen (14) years of age or less as of January 1st, the year of the festival, or be registered in grade 9 (grade 9 students older than 14 years still qualify as Junior IV). Each member must also be enrolled in the secondary school, or schools taught by the same director represented during the current school year. No members may be registered in a grade higher than 9. This is equivalent to the MusicFest A601 category.
Junior V: All members of the performing group must be thirteen (13) years of age or less as of January 1st, the year of the festival, or be registered in grade 8 (grade 8 students older than 13 years still qualify as Junior V). Each member must also be enrolled in the secondary school, or schools taught by the same director represented during the current school year. No members may be registered in a grade higher than 8. This is equivalent to the MusicFest A701 category.
Groups with members outside of these guidelines will not receive an invitation to perform at the Saturday evening Student Showcase Concert or MusicFest Canada.
If you have questions or concerns about the classification of your group, please contact the Festival Coordinator.
Repertoire for Instrumental Jazz:
All instrumental jazz groups’ performances must include three (3) pieces conforming to the following style choices:
- A swing or shuffle style,
- A ballad style, and
- A style of the director’s choice. A contrasting style is encouraged, though a second swing, shuffle, or ballad could be chosen. Pop material is discouraged and may result in lost opportunity to perform in the Saturday Evening Student Showcase Concert.
Selections featuring a vocalist are permitted. Combos featuring a vocalist on a single song or vocalists who act as instrumentalists in the ensemble (scatting bebop melodies, background shots, etc.) are adjudicated as instrumental combos and will be held to instrumental combo criteria.
Category for Instrumental Jazz:
Jazz Combo: Three (3) to eleven (11) instrumentalists with a major emphasis on improvisation.
Jazz Band: Twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) instrumentalists. Exceeding this number is not recommended.
Individual performers may not replace others on stage during the performance of a selection; no additional performers may enter the stage once a selection has begun. Groups deviating from standard instrumentation will be judged on their musical merits as would any other competing band.
Directors with groups larger than the listed guidelines, should contact the Festival Coordinator.
Instrumentation:
It is recommended that Jazz Bands conform to the standard instrumentation of 8-10 brass, 5 woodwinds, and 3-6 rhythm. Deviation from standard instrumentation will be judged on the performance’s musical merits. Use of doubling (on flute and clarinet) in the sax section is encouraged.
Equipment provided for Instrumental Jazz:
Ensembles must bring all instruments and equipment other than that specifically provided by the festival, which is as follows: acoustic piano; keyboard, amp (1), and stand; guitar (2) and bass (2) amps (please contact the Festival Coordinator if you need more than two inputs – groups needing more inputs must provide their own extra amps); drum set; congas; timbales; vibraphone; chairs; and music stands. Drummers may substitute or add cymbals, snare drums, and bass drum pedals. No equipment may be removed from the stage. A PA system will be provided in the performance area only. Not all equipment is available in the warm-up and adjudication rooms. Adding or replacing equipment counts against a group’s twenty-five (25) minute on-stage time.
**Please note that for the Jazz Combo performance space, there will only be one (1) guitar amp, one (1) bass amp, and no auxiliary percussion. Please contact the Festival Coordinator if you need more than one input for bass or guitar.**
The festival will also provide no more than ten (10) microphones (for instrumental groups). Microphone placement directions should be indicated on the seating plan form which is to be submitted prior to the start of the festival - see registration information for more details. If microphone placement is not accurately indicated on the stage plan and microphones need to be rearranged on stage, this may cause the festival to run behind schedule.
Schedule for Instrumental Jazz:
If the schedule permits, the festival aims to have combo groups perform on Thursday during the daytime. Other ensembles should be prepared to perform at any time throughout the festival.
Vocal Jazz:
Classification for Vocal Jazz:
Senior: All members of the performing group must be registered in Grade 12 or lower as of January 1st, the year of the festival. Each member must also be currently enrolled in a secondary school or schools taught by the same director represented during the current school year. This is equivalent to the MusicFest A301 category.
Junior: All members of the performing group must be fifteen (15) years of age or less as of January 1st, the year of the festival, or be registered in grade 10 (grade 10 students older than 15 years still qualify as Junior III). Each member must also be enrolled in the secondary school, or schools taught by the same director represented during the current school year. No members may be registered in a grade higher than 10. This is equivalent to the MusicFest A501 category.
Groups with members outside of these guidelines will not receive an invitation to perform at the Saturday evening Student Showcase Concert or MusicFest Canada.
If you have questions or concerns about the classification of your group, please contact the Festival Coordinator.
Repertoire for Vocal Jazz:
All vocal jazz groups’ performances must include three (3) pieces conforming to the following style choices:
- A swing or shuffle style,
- A ballad style, and
- A style of the director’s choice. A contrasting style is encouraged, though a second swing, shuffle, or ballad could be chosen. Pop material is discouraged and may result in lost opportunity to perform in the Saturday Evening Student Showcase Concert.
Combination choirs may perform up to two (2) of their selections as concert or chamber choir repertoire, however, one (1) selection must be jazz repertoire.
Groups not following these guidelines will not receive an invitation to perform at the Saturday evening Student Showcase Concert or MusicFest Canada.
Category for Vocal Jazz:
Vocal Jazz Combo: One (1) to two (2) vocalists with a rhythm section OR three (3) to six (6) vocalists with or without a rhythm section. A major emphasis on improvisation is required.
Vocal Jazz Ensemble: Seven (7) to twenty-four (24) vocalists. Exceeding this number is not recommended. Microphones will be limited to 18.
Combination Choir: There are no size restrictions, but groups larger than forty (40) must give the festival advanced warning. Please note that combination choirs are not eligible for the Student Showcase Concert or an invitation to MusicFest Canada.
Directors with groups larger than the listed guidelines, should contact the Festival Coordinator.
Individual performers may not replace others on stage during the performance of a selection; no additional performers may enter the stage once a selection has begun.
Accompaniment:
Rhythm section and accompanists for all but Combination Choir must meet the grade requirements for their classification. Combination choirs are strongly encouraged to use student accompanists, but may use professional accompanists if needed, however the use of professional accompanists may result in losing the opportunity to perform in the Saturday evening Student Showcase concert.
Equipment provided for Vocal Jazz:
The festival will provide the following: acoustic piano; keyboard, amp (1), and stand; guitar (2) and bass (2) amps; drum set; congas; music stands; and 18 mics (for vocal groups). No equipment may be removed from the stage. No choral risers are provided by the festival; however, low risers will be in place on stage for the instrumental groups. Not all equipment is available in the warm-up and adjudication rooms.
Schedule for Vocal Jazz:
If the schedule permits, the festival aims to have vocal groups perform on Friday during the daytime.