Jazz Festival 2026

Thursday, February 5th & Friday, February 6th, 2026

The School of Music at Central Michigan University is proud to announce the annual Jazz Festival, designed for talented high school jazz musicians! Big Band fees are $275 per band and Combo fees are $75 per combo.

• Application Deadline: Sunday, December 14th, 2025

Meet our Guest Artist: Andy Hunter, trombone

Born in Northern Michigan and musically raised on the diverse scenes of Cleveland, Shanghai, and New York City, Andy Hunter now resides primarily in Cologne, Germany, where he performs regularly with the WDR Big Band, with programs featuring many of the top artists in jazz today.

Hunter has performed and toured around the world as a regular member of the Mingus Big Band (Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra), the Richard Bona Group, the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Jazz Orchestra, SPOKE, T.S. Monk’s 10-tet “Monk on Monk”, and Cuban groups such as Ochún and La Típica Novel.

Recording credits include albums with Snarky Puppy, Bob Mintzer, Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band, The Birdland Big Band, The FatCat Big Band, La Cumbiamba, Hector Martignon’s Banda Grande, and the WDR Big Band (albums featuring artists such as Ron Carter, Steps Ahead, Vince Mendoza, Billy Hart and many more). Hunter has also toured briefly with high-profile artists such as Dave Holland’s Big Band, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, José James, DLG, Nnenna Freelon, Robben Ford, and Ocho y Mas, backing up salsa singers Rubén Blades, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tito Nieves, La India, Eddie Santiago, and Frankie Negrón.

As an educator, Hunter has served on the jazz faculty of Tri-C College in Cleveland and Rutgers University in New Jersey, where his students have been winning prizes and recognition at multiple major festivals. He continues to give clinics and master classes all over the world, and now teaches jazz trombone part-time at Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam.

Current highlight projects include Europe-based Latin Jazz Quintet Viento Terral (new album available), salsa band Marcando, upcoming tours with NYC jazz quartet SPOKE, and a new Europe-based jazz quintet with saxophonist Johan Hörlen featuring Adam Nussbaum, Confluence (new album arriving Fall 2017).

Meet Our Faculty:

• Professor Robbie Smith — Director of Jazz Studies
• Dr. Cole Bartels — Trombone Professor
• Dr. Neil Mueller — Trumpet Professor
• Professor John Nichol — Saxophone Professor
• Dr. Marco Schirripa — Percussion Professor

For specific instrumental questions, please contact the School of Music faculty. For general inquiries, please contact the Music Department Administration Office at musicadmit@cmich.edu or call 989-774-3281.