Youth is one of six main themes around which the Standard Bank Jazz Festival programme is designed this year at the 38^th National Arts Festival, from 28 June to 8 July in Grahamstown.

The number of students and teachers attending the SBNYJF has more than doubled in the past 12 years. From 18 lecturers in 2001, including Barney Rachabane, Mike Rossi and Brian Thusi, there are more than 70 lecturers from South Africa and abroad in 2012. Students have a spectacular array of top-class musicians from whom to learn over their week in Grahamstown.

Not only do the students have an opportunity to learn from the best during their time at the Festival, but also to perform on the same stages as their jazz heroes.

The Standard Bank National Schools’ Big Band consists of the top young jazz musicians in the country up to the age of 18 years. Under the musical direction of James Bassingthwaighte, the band performs material worked on over the four days of the Standard Band National Youth Jazz Festival on Monday, 2 July.

Later on in the evening on Monday 2 July, the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band presents a selection of the top young jazz musicians in the country between the ages of 19 and 25 years. This year, the band is under the musical direction of South African jazz legend, pianist Paul Hanmer.

This South African-Swedish Youth Big Band is an exciting collaboration of South African and Swedish youth musicians under the direction of Fredrik Noren, conductor of the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, playing South African, Swedish and standard repertoire, in the afternoon on Monday, 2 July.

Also on Monday 2 July, there is a celebration of school and university jazz choirs and vocal soloists from around the country, directed by top professional vocalists Amanda Tiffin (SA), Deborah Tanguy (FR), and Nicky Schrire (SA/US).

The All-Star NYJF closer on Monday, 2 July is the main celebration of two decades of jazz development, with a blow-out performance of some of those who have been teaching and performing at the NYJF, putting together some of Europe’s leading performers with young South African talent. Featuring Morten Halle (sax - NO), Karl-Martin Almqvist (sax - SE), Anton Goudsmit (guitar – NL), Andre Petersen (piano - SA), Daniel Franck (bass - SE) and Ayanda Sikade (drums - SA).

The programme also includes two sessions of school/youth bands.

On Friday, 29 June, catch the exuberance of powerful young players, featuring Belhar Music Collective from the Cape Flats, Taiwa Jazz Band from the Moses Molelekwa Foundation in Tembisa and special guests from Sweden, Curly Camel, winners of the Swedish Jazz Federation Youth Competition.

On Sunday, 1 July, catch some of the best school jazz talent in the country, Rondebosch (Cape Town), SACS (Cape Town), and Stirling (East London) perform in standard Big Band style.

The other themes for this year’s programme are mainsteam, AfroJazz, gospel/world music, cross-over jazz and modern jazz.

For more information, visit www.standardbankarts.co.za or www.youthjazz.co.za.

The Standard Bank Jazz Festival is presented with support funding from:

* The French Institute/French-South African Season
* SAfm
* Paul Bothner Music
* ProHelvetia
* Royal Netherlands Embassy
* Royal Norwegian Embassy
* SAMRO
* Spedidam
* Swedish Arts Council / Scenkonstbolaget
* US Consulate General

Bookings for this year’s “11 Days of Amaz!ng” are open. Tickets are available through Computicket. Booking kits available from selected Standard Bank Branches, selected Exclusive Books and all Computickets. For more information on the programme, accommodation and travel options visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za. Also join the National Arts Festival group on Facebook for all the latest competitions and news, or follow us on Twitter.

The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, City Press and M-Net.