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Performances
Let's Make a Difference!
Jazz Outreach Initiative builds programming to increase opportunities for young people to play in public. While education is foundational to building musical talent, performances build confidence, depth, and strength for young musicians.
Jazz Vegas Orchestra
The Jazz Vegas Orchestra (formerly JOI Jazz Orchestra) is a professional big band comprised of some of the area's top jazz musicians. The Jazz Vegas Orchestra presents nearly 30 high quality public performances for the public each year as a way to both add to a vibrant jazz culture and community in Southern Nevada, as well as to support its many educational and outreach programs, masterclasses and clinics, and more.
Upcoming Jazz Vegas Orchestra and Other Events
- Multiple DatesWed, Jun 25Jun 25, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PMCommunity Lutheran Church Annex Building, 3690 E Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89121, USAStudents of all abilities from middle through high school are joined by JOI's professional jazz mentors to study jazz language and play with them and other students from across Southern Nevada in a fun, relaxed, and supportive atmosphere.
- Multiple DatesWed, Jul 02
- Tue, Sep 23
- Sat, Nov 29Jazz Vegas Orchestra presents "JOI to the World" Christmas Concert! /Starbright Theater - Sun City Summerlin
- Tue, Dec 16
- Fri, Feb 137th Annual Las Vegas Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival /Artemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLVFeb 13, 2026, 1:00 PM PST – Feb 14, 2026, 9:30 PM PSTArtemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USALicensed by Jazz at Lincoln Center, this festival is the most prestigious of the more than 2 dozen regional Essentially Ellington festivals in the nation welcoming outstanding high school jazz bands from across CCSD and the western United States!
- Sun, Feb 15Feb 15, 2026, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM PSTBeam Music Building at UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USABand Director Academy 2026 (BDA) is a single-day professional development workshop for band directors. This year's educators include Kenny Rampton and others are TBA). This full day is licensed by J@LC. Provides 1/2 credit in Nevada.
- Wed, Jun 11Jazz Vegas Orchestra at Myron's The Smith Center - The Music of Nathan Tanouye - Special Guest Clint Holmes! /Myron's at The Smith CenterJun 11, 2025, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM PDTMyron's at The Smith Center, 361 W Symphony Park Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USAJazz Outreach Initiative's "Homegrown Series" presents "A Legend in the Making... The Music of Nathan Tanouye" at Myron's at The Smith Center with Special Guest Clint Holmes! *INCLUDES PRESHOW TALK/Q&A AT 6:15, SHOW AT 7.
- Sun, May 25
- Multiple DatesWed, May 21
- Fri, May 09FREE CONCERT! The Jazz Vegas Orchestra Feat. Naomi Mauro - Jazz Underneath The Stars! /Centennial Hills Park Amphitheater
- Wed, Mar 26Jazz Vegas Orchestra Featuring Sherrie Maricle at Myrons @ The Smith Center /Myron's at The Smith Center
- Sun, Feb 16Feb 16, 2025, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM PSTLas Vegas, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USABand Director Academy 2025 (BDA) is a single-day professional development workshop for band directors. This year's educators include Sherrie Maricle, Victor Goines, Christopher Dorsey, Lauren Sevian, Scott Brown and Kenny Rampton. This full day is licensed by J@LC. Provides 1/2 credit in Nevada.
- Sat, Feb 15Essentially Ellington PUBLIC CONCERT Tickets Benefitting UNLV Division of Jazz & Commercial Music /UNLV Artemus W. Ham Concert HallFeb 15, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PMUNLV Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USACapping off a full two days and nights of jazz education, clinics, masterclasses, and outstanding high school big band performances from across the western USA, this final concert features the jazz masters "Essentially Ellington All-Stars Octet," UNLV Jazz Ensemble I, & Outstanding Student Soloists!
- Fri, Feb 146th Annual Las Vegas Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival /Artemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLVFeb 14, 2025, 12:45 PM PST – Feb 15, 2025, 5:30 PM PSTArtemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USALicensed by Jazz at Lincoln Center, this festival is the most prestigious of the more than 2 dozen regional Essentially Ellington festivals in the nation welcoming outstanding high school jazz bands from across CCSD and the western United States!
- Sun, Jan 26Jan 26, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PMCSN Music Dept. Building H, Room H-127, 3200 E Cheyenne Ave, North Las Vegas, NV 89030, USAMiddle and High School musicians, including strings and vocalists! Come join us for the Spring 2025 Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra Auditions! (Walk-in Auditions will be accepted after the first hour of each audition)
- Sun, Dec 15
- Wed, Dec 04
Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra
Bringing together student musicians of all demographics and from as many schools as possible creating a community of musicians for the next generation. Directed by our Vice President and Director of Programming, Gary Cordell, the big band consists of students from high school seniors to as young as 11 years old. Collaboration is often the key to rapid yet pragmatic growth and we found that partnership in the Las Vegas Youth Orchestras organization.
Upcoming Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra Events
- Multiple DatesWed, Jun 25Jun 25, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PMCommunity Lutheran Church Annex Building, 3690 E Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89121, USAStudents of all abilities from middle through high school are joined by JOI's professional jazz mentors to study jazz language and play with them and other students from across Southern Nevada in a fun, relaxed, and supportive atmosphere.
- Multiple DatesWed, Jul 02
- Tue, Sep 23
- Sat, Nov 29Jazz Vegas Orchestra presents "JOI to the World" Christmas Concert! /Starbright Theater - Sun City Summerlin
- Tue, Dec 16
- Fri, Feb 137th Annual Las Vegas Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival /Artemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLVFeb 13, 2026, 1:00 PM PST – Feb 14, 2026, 9:30 PM PSTArtemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USALicensed by Jazz at Lincoln Center, this festival is the most prestigious of the more than 2 dozen regional Essentially Ellington festivals in the nation welcoming outstanding high school jazz bands from across CCSD and the western United States!
- Sun, Feb 15Feb 15, 2026, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM PSTBeam Music Building at UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USABand Director Academy 2026 (BDA) is a single-day professional development workshop for band directors. This year's educators include Kenny Rampton and others are TBA). This full day is licensed by J@LC. Provides 1/2 credit in Nevada.
- Wed, Jun 11Jazz Vegas Orchestra at Myron's The Smith Center - The Music of Nathan Tanouye - Special Guest Clint Holmes! /Myron's at The Smith CenterJun 11, 2025, 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM PDTMyron's at The Smith Center, 361 W Symphony Park Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USAJazz Outreach Initiative's "Homegrown Series" presents "A Legend in the Making... The Music of Nathan Tanouye" at Myron's at The Smith Center with Special Guest Clint Holmes! *INCLUDES PRESHOW TALK/Q&A AT 6:15, SHOW AT 7.
- Sun, May 25
- Multiple DatesWed, May 21
- Fri, May 09FREE CONCERT! The Jazz Vegas Orchestra Feat. Naomi Mauro - Jazz Underneath The Stars! /Centennial Hills Park Amphitheater
- Wed, Mar 26Jazz Vegas Orchestra Featuring Sherrie Maricle at Myrons @ The Smith Center /Myron's at The Smith Center
- Sun, Feb 16Feb 16, 2025, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM PSTLas Vegas, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USABand Director Academy 2025 (BDA) is a single-day professional development workshop for band directors. This year's educators include Sherrie Maricle, Victor Goines, Christopher Dorsey, Lauren Sevian, Scott Brown and Kenny Rampton. This full day is licensed by J@LC. Provides 1/2 credit in Nevada.
- Sat, Feb 15Essentially Ellington PUBLIC CONCERT Tickets Benefitting UNLV Division of Jazz & Commercial Music /UNLV Artemus W. Ham Concert HallFeb 15, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PMUNLV Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USACapping off a full two days and nights of jazz education, clinics, masterclasses, and outstanding high school big band performances from across the western USA, this final concert features the jazz masters "Essentially Ellington All-Stars Octet," UNLV Jazz Ensemble I, & Outstanding Student Soloists!
- Fri, Feb 146th Annual Las Vegas Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival /Artemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLVFeb 14, 2025, 12:45 PM PST – Feb 15, 2025, 5:30 PM PSTArtemus W, Ham Concert Hall - UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USALicensed by Jazz at Lincoln Center, this festival is the most prestigious of the more than 2 dozen regional Essentially Ellington festivals in the nation welcoming outstanding high school jazz bands from across CCSD and the western United States!
- Sun, Jan 26Jan 26, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PMCSN Music Dept. Building H, Room H-127, 3200 E Cheyenne Ave, North Las Vegas, NV 89030, USAMiddle and High School musicians, including strings and vocalists! Come join us for the Spring 2025 Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra Auditions! (Walk-in Auditions will be accepted after the first hour of each audition)
- Sun, Dec 15
- Wed, Dec 04
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