Yakima Valley Community College Music Department will showcase student’s original compositions on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 7:00pm in Hopf Student Union Building. The concert is preparation for their trip to the University of Idaho Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival scheduled for February 20 through 22. The concert will feature the award winning YVCC Salsa Band with 8 world premiere compositions from YVCC students: Ben Berg, Michael David Bushman, Jeff Chang, Adam Decker, Jake Jarvis, Eric Jones, Nick Sokol and Chelsea Sylvanus. The concert will also feature the award winning YVCC Jazztet which will perform a Free-Jazz set featuring four world premiere compositions from YVCC students: Ben Berg, Michael David Bushman, Jeff Chang and Nick Sokol. Tickets will $3 for students and $5 general admission.

A 40-year tradition at the University of Idaho, the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival brings jazz masters together with elementary, junior high, high school and college students to share and celebrate music. In November 2007 the festival was honored by President George W. Bush with the National Medal of Arts. The Jazz Festival has featured nearly 80 musicians from 30 countries, including China, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Peru. This year, the four-day festival will include adjudicated performances from more than 14,000 students from more than 300 schools. Guest artists will lead workshops for students during the day and perform in nightly concerts for the students, teachers, parents and the local community. Students judged as exceptional during the adjudicated performances are given the opportunity to perform following the evening concerts.

For more information please contact David Blink at 574-4835.