Bison Hill Jazz Festival Coming to Campus April 7

March 29, 2016

OBU will host the third annual Bison Hill Jazz Festival Thursday, April 7. Performances will take place all day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Raley Chapel’s Yarborough Auditorium. The festival will culminate in a 7:30 p.m. evening concert featuring world-class jazz musician Andre Hayward on trombone along with the Bison Jazz Orchestra. The events are free and open to the public.

Middle school and high school bands from around Oklahoma and surrounding states are invited to participate. School bands will choose to compete or perform for judges’ comments only. OBU will provide guest artists who will present improvisation and rhythm section clinics. The day will conclude with an awards assembly at 5 p.m., followed by the evening concert at 7:30 p.m.

Justin Pierce, assistant professor in instrumental music, organized the event. “This area of Oklahoma needed a festival for bands to receive helpful comments from judges before the OSSAA state jazz contest in late April,” he said. “It is great for OBU that they have the opportunity to hear a professional jazz guest artist perform with the Bison Jazz Orchestra.”