The John Huf Award for Young Jazz Performers
Entries Close 6 January 2025
Titled the ‘John Huf Award’ in honour of the recently retired foundation coordinator of our festival, this award is intended to encourage younger jazz musicians to become involved in the PFJF. The committee has decided to instigate an award that will be open to young jazz performers under 26 years on the Saturday of the festival.
Nature of the award: Individual participants will each present a program of three tunes: a blues, a ballad and a swing or Latin tune in a short program of maximum twenty-five minutes’ duration.
The chosen program might be an unaccompanied or accompanied set of pieces (e.g., rhythm section in support of a horn such as trumpet, trombone, saxophone, clarinet etc.) Pianists might prefer to play without a rhythm section, but not necessarily. Participants must provide copies of lead-sheets of tunes to be played for the adjudicator(s) prior to the performance. These should bear the name of the person submitting them and will be returned to each performer following the adjudication.
Auditions: Each entrant should submit a recording of their jazz soloing on at least one and up to three tunes prior to the festival (cut-off date to be announced). From these audition recordings, a group of three finalists will be selected to play off for the Award on the Saturday evening of the festival. These recordings should clearly identify the person intending to enter the award; show/declare the name of the entrant and the instrument played. Each entry must also include a return address and/or email for notification of success in acceptance.
If you are a finalist: For the play-off, a rhythm section may be provided to accompany each individual entrant, but if entrants are members of established bands playing at the festival, they should request the rhythm section (up to three players) of their band to provide accompaniment for their performance. Only the nominated soloist is adjudicated, so soloing by members of the rhythm section should be kept to a minimum, unless of course the adjudicated soloist is a bassist or drummer. If the festival needs to provide a rhythm section, notice (and lead sheets of tunes to be played) should be provided prior to the festival.
The Award final will be adjudicated by an experienced jazz musician/educator or panel of judges.
The winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000 sponsored by Damian ‘Joe’ Gleeson, generous sponsor of our festival and proprietor of the Port Fairy Bottle Shop. All three finalists will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation in the Award final.
Closing Date for submission of audition recordings: 6 January 2025
These should be directed to either: PO 624 Warrnambool 3280 or email: [email protected]
Titled the ‘John Huf Award’ in honour of the recently retired foundation coordinator of our festival, this award is intended to encourage younger jazz musicians to become involved in the PFJF. The committee has decided to instigate an award that will be open to young jazz performers under 26 years on the Saturday of the festival.
Nature of the award: Individual participants will each present a program of three tunes: a blues, a ballad and a swing or Latin tune in a short program of maximum twenty-five minutes’ duration.
The chosen program might be an unaccompanied or accompanied set of pieces (e.g., rhythm section in support of a horn such as trumpet, trombone, saxophone, clarinet etc.) Pianists might prefer to play without a rhythm section, but not necessarily. Participants must provide copies of lead-sheets of tunes to be played for the adjudicator(s) prior to the performance. These should bear the name of the person submitting them and will be returned to each performer following the adjudication.
Auditions: Each entrant should submit a recording of their jazz soloing on at least one and up to three tunes prior to the festival (cut-off date to be announced). From these audition recordings, a group of three finalists will be selected to play off for the Award on the Saturday evening of the festival. These recordings should clearly identify the person intending to enter the award; show/declare the name of the entrant and the instrument played. Each entry must also include a return address and/or email for notification of success in acceptance.
If you are a finalist: For the play-off, a rhythm section may be provided to accompany each individual entrant, but if entrants are members of established bands playing at the festival, they should request the rhythm section (up to three players) of their band to provide accompaniment for their performance. Only the nominated soloist is adjudicated, so soloing by members of the rhythm section should be kept to a minimum, unless of course the adjudicated soloist is a bassist or drummer. If the festival needs to provide a rhythm section, notice (and lead sheets of tunes to be played) should be provided prior to the festival.
The Award final will be adjudicated by an experienced jazz musician/educator or panel of judges.
The winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000 sponsored by Damian ‘Joe’ Gleeson, generous sponsor of our festival and proprietor of the Port Fairy Bottle Shop. All three finalists will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation in the Award final.
Closing Date for submission of audition recordings: 6 January 2025
These should be directed to either: PO 624 Warrnambool 3280 or email: [email protected]