Earlier this month, the University of Nebraska at Omaha Jazz Area traveled to Dallas, Texas to be a part of the Jazz Education Network (JEN) International Conference.

The Metropolitan Area Youth Jazz Orchestra (MAYJO) directed by Dr. Pete Madsen, UNO Coordinator of Jazz Studies, was selected through an international audition process to perform and three other groups from UNO took part in the conference.

MAYJO performed a composition written and commissioned for the group by Dr. Darren Pettit, UNO Assistant Professor of Music Theory as one of their selections.

Jazz 1 directed by Dr. Pete Madsen, Jazz Combo 1 directed by Dr. Darren Pettit, and UNO Boptet, directed by Dr. Patrick Brown, UNO Instructor of Saxophone, all performed as a part of the JENerations Jazz Festival. Professor Jason Johnson, UNO Instructor of Trumpet, provided assistance.

In addition to these performances, Dr. Pete Madsen was selected to provide a clinic titled “Whose Line Is It Anyway? A linear approach to creating four note piano voicings. Presented by a non-pianist for non-pianists!” and Dr. Patrick Brown was selected to give a research presentation titled “A Harmonic Analysis of Saxophonist Ralph Moore.”