The annual Highlander/Wesleyan Jazz Festival, a day-long festival of clinics, workshops and master classes for music students, will take place Saturday, May 5, and culminate this year with performances by jazz saxophonist and flutist Bobby Militello.

Militello has played with many artists for the last four decades, along with leading his own groups. Since 1982 he has been playing alto sax and flute with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and has recorded over 20 CDs. He has also played with almost every major orchestra in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and has appeared in many international jazz festivals, television and radio shows.

During the day, high school music students from across Texas will participate in clinics, workshops and master classes with outstanding local jazz musicians. In addition to these instructional efforts, the program includes performance competitions for all participants. The competition will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Tarrant County College South, and the final concert/awards ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Texas Wesleyan University. 

Militello will appear in that culminating evening concert along with jazz ensembles from Texas Wesleyan University and Tarrant County College South, and selected area high school bands, in Martin Hall on the Texas Wesleyan campus.  Festival coordinators are Lou Carfa and John Fisher – Texas Wesleyan University; Rick Stitzel – Tarrant County College South; and Kathy Bernal – Eastern Hills High School.

There will be a $5 charge for admission to the evening performance at Texas Wesleyan.

For more information, call 817-531-4992. Martin Hall is located in the Ann Waggoner Fine Arts Building at 1309 Wesleyan St., Fort Worth, TX 76105. Click here for a map. Tarrant County College South is located at 5301 Campus Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76119.