Fiesta Jazz Festival
For more than 50 years, St. Mary’s has hosted the annual Fiesta Jazz Festival Band Concert and Band Festival on campus. Renowned local, regional and national jazz musicians come to the University, where they perform for the St. Mary’s and San Antonio communities. The Band Festival is where area high schools and middle school students are critiqued and compete for trophies. Honor Band recipients are selected from these groups. Clinics and the chance to see award-winning musicians are enjoyed by all in attendance.
Fiesta Jazz Festival | April 26-27, 2024
Schedule of Events
Friday, April 26
University Invitational
Gold & Blue Note Jazz Club, University Center at St. Mary’s University
11 a.m., Northwest Vista Jazz Combo
Noon, Northwest Vista Jazz Ensemble
1 p.m., UTSA Jazz Ensemble
2 p.m., University of the Incarnate Word Jazz Combo
3 p.m., Trinity University Jazz Ensemble
4 p.m., St. Mary’s University Jazz Combo
5 p.m., St. Mary’s University Jazz Orchestra
Fiesta World Class Jazz Concert
6 p.m., St. Mary’s University Alumni Jazz Orchestra
7:15 p.m., The Alyssa Allgood Quartet
Fiesta World Class Jazz Concert
7:30 p.m. | Gold & Blue Note Jazz Club, University Center
Alyssa Allgood Quartet
Alyssa Allgood is a Chicago-based jazz vocalist, composer, arranger and educator who has been described as “assured and daring” by DownBeat Magazine and a “model of sophisticated song interpretation” by the Chicago Tribune. She brings a modern approach to the jazz tradition with her original compositions, captivating arrangements and lyrical focus of self-love and human connection. Allgood won the Inaugural Ella Fitzgerald Competition (2017) and the David Baker Memorial Scholarship (2022) through the Jazz Education Network. Named “Best Jazz Entertainer” in the Chicago Music Awards, Allgood has performed at many distinguished venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center in Shanghai, Shadboldt Centre for the Arts in British Columbia, Birdland Jazz Club in New York, the Chicago Jazz Festival, Green Mill and Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Noce Jazz Club in Des Moines, the Jazz Estate in Milwaukee and the Origin Jazz Series in Lexington. She’s been consistently praised for her lyrical expression, instrumental approach and accomplished scat and vocalese singing.
About Alyssa Allgood
Saturday, April 27
61st Fiesta Jazz Band Festival Jazz Band Festival
Gold & Blue Note Jazz Club, University Center, Conference Room A
8 a.m., San Antonio Christian H.S. Combo (5A Combo)
8:25 a.m., Wagner H.S. 2 (5A 2)
8:50 a.m., Coronado H.S. (5A)
9:15 a.m., Wagner H.S. 1 (5A)
9:40 a.m., Jefferson H.S. (5A)
10:05 a.m., O’Connor H.S. 2 (6A 2)
10:30 a.m., Grand Prairie Fine Arts H.S. 2 (6A 2)
10:55 a.m., Brandeis H.S. 2 (6A 2)
11:20 a.m., New Braunfels H.S. (6A)
Noon, Jazz Clinic – Alyssa Allgood Quartet
1:15 p.m., Grand Prairie Fine Arts H.S. 1 (6A)
1:40 p.m., Judson H.S. (6A)
2:05 p.m., Akins Early College H.S. (6A)
2:30 p.m., Sotomayor H.S. (6A)
2:55 p.m., O’Connor H.S. 1 (6A)
3:20 p.m., Skyline H.S. (6A)
3:45 p.m., Brandeis H.S. 1 (6A)
5 p.m., San Antonio Jazz Orchestra
5:45 p.m., Awards Ceremony
Saturday, April 27
61st Fiesta Jazz Band Festival Jazz Band Festival
Treadaway Recital Hall
8 a.m., Harlandale M.S. (2C)
8:25 a.m., Kirby M.S. (2C)
8:50 a.m., Bradley M.S. 3 (2C)
9:15 a.m., Bradley M.S. 2 (3C)
9:40 a.m., Bradley M.S. 1 (3C)
10:05 a.m., Bradley M.S. Combo (3C Combo)
10:30 a.m., Losoya M.S. (2C)
10:55 a.m., Whittier M.S. (2C)
11:20 a.m., Memorial H.S. (4A)
Noon, Jazz Clinic
Alyssa Allgood Quartet, University Center, Conference Room A
1:15 p.m., McAuliffe M.S. (2C)
1:40 p.m., Resnik M.S. (2C)
2:05 p.m., Miller M.S. (2C)
2:30 p.m., McNair M.S. (2C)
2:55 p.m., Scobee M.S. (2C)
3:20 p.m., Geneva School of Boerne H.S. (2A)
3:45 p.m., San Antonio Christian H.S. (4A)
4:10 p.m., Wagner H.S. 3 (4A)
5 p.m., San Antonio Jazz Orchestra, University Center, Conference Room A
5:45 p.m., Awards Ceremony, University Center, Conference Room A
Learn more about Fiesta Jazz Festival
Fiesta® World Class Jazz Concert
Enjoy the great sounds of national, regional and local jazz artists at this year’s Annual Fiesta World Class Jazz Concert. This event is sponsored by the Music Department at St. Mary’s University and the San Antonio Fiesta Commission.
The evening concert follows outstanding University and Junior College jazz bands along with area jazz groups.
Annual Fiesta® Jazz Band Festival
The Fiesta Jazz Band attracts junior and senior high school jazz ensembles from Texas and neighboring states. Participants perform for criticism before a panel of renowned jazz clinicians. Trophies and awards are given for outstanding performances in various categories.
Participate in the Fiesta Jazz Festival
- Festival registration is on a first-come basis and automatically ends when all slots are filled. The Festival is open to middle schools and high schools. You may enter for competition, play for critique only, or performance only.
- If your group is competing, you must play in your school’s classification (5A, 6A, 2C, 3C, etc.). Three charts of contrasting styles are required. In the Fiesta tradition, one should be in a Latin jazz style. Each band will be allowed 25 minutes, including set up and strike.
Thank you for your interest in the 61st Annual Fiesta Jazz Festival. At this time, we have reached full capacity of school band entries for Saturday, April 27th and registration has been closed. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.
Support Fiesta Jazz Festival
You can help create unique educational and music performance opportunities for St. Mary’s students and middle school and high school students from across the state by supporting Fiesta Jazz Festival. Your proceeds will directly support keeping this San Antonio Fiesta and educational tradition alive. Use the link below and select the “Other” category to support Fiesta Jazz Festival.
Interested in becoming an official event sponsor? Contact Adrian Ruiz at aruiz22@stmarytx.edu or 210-431-1386.