Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival


The Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, often shortened to Essentially Ellington or just EE, is an annual high school jazz festival and competition that takes place at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The festival is aimed at encouraging young musicians to play music by Duke Ellington and other jazz musicians.

Process

Every year, Jazz at Lincoln Center transcribes arrangements and compositions by Duke Ellington and sends them to participating high school and community jazz band directors across the United States and Canada. During the year, band directors are sent a newsletter and given access to online educational materials relevant to the Ellington and his music. Directors can send recordings of their band's finished performances to Jazz at Lincoln Center for evaluation. These recordings can count as applications to the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival in New York City, though a non-competitive, comments-only option is also offered. Fifteen top bands are invited to compete in the festival, occurring every May at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall.
After the finalists are announced, clinicians; usually members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; are sent to each of the finalist schools to provide a jazz workshop and prepare the bands for competition. At the New York festival, students are immersed in workshops, jam sessions, an open rehearsal and Q&A with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and performances by the participating bands. The festival ends with a concert by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the three top-placing bands, as well as an awards ceremony recognizing individual soloists and sections.

History

Beginning in 1995, Essentially Ellington materials were offered only to school bands across New York State and the greater New York metropolitan area. Over the next few years, the program grew to include all schools across the United States and Canada. As of 2025, over 7,100 schools across 58 countries have received free scores and resources.
In 2002, the first Essentially Ellington Writing Contest was held, inviting participating students to submit an essay or short story discussing various topics of jazz. Winners received the chance to reading their essay on the festival's opening day, as well as having a seat in the Rose Theater engraved in their honor. The contest was discontinued following the conclusion of the 2011 festival.
In early 2006, Jazz at Lincoln Center announced the debut of Essentially Ellington's first regional festival. The regional festivals are non-competitive and offer high school jazz bands of different levels the opportunity to play Ellington's music and receive professional feedback.
Starting in 2008, selections by big band composers other than Ellington were transcribed for the first time. In succeeding years, music by Benny Carter, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, Gerald Wilson, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Golson, and others have been released.
In 2013, a new selection process was introduced in which the top three bands chosen from five national regions would compete in New York City. Another major change made that year was the opening up of the main competition to allow conglomerate bands; extra-curricular bands composed of students from more than one high school; to compete directly with the high school bands. From 2005 until 2012, one conglomerate band was chosen to appear as a special guest in an exhibition performance outside of the festival, with the exception of 2008, when there were two conglomerate winners.
Additionally in 2013, the Gerhard W. Vosshall Student Composition/Arranging Contest was added to the festival following a donation from the Vosshall family made in Gerhard's honor. The contest was renamed the Dr. J. Douglas White Student Composition and Arranging Contest in 2016. Each year, a winning composition is chosen from submissions sent from high school students in the US and Canada to be recorded and performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The winning composer receives a cash prize, a trip to the competition in order to conduct their piece, and a composition lesson. The lesson was originally with Ellington historian David Berger, but shifted to JLCO saxophonist Ted Nash in 2015.
The 25th edition of the competition and festival, scheduled for 2020, announced that the region system would be eliminated, and a total of eighteen bands would be selected, three more than in years past. Also present for the first time were five youth bands from Japan, Scotland, Australia, Spain, and Cuba, increasing the total number of participating ensembles to twenty-three. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-person festival was cancelled, and all events were held virtually. No winners were announced, although honors were given to individual soloists and sections.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2021 festival to also be held virtually. Jazz at Lincoln Center pushed back the release of new music until the 2021-2022 school year and encouraged participating schools to submit one tune from the entire Essentially Ellington library in either a synchronous or asynchronous fashion. Submission due dates were pushed back to March and the virtual festival to early June. The 2021 festival also introduced new rules regarding submissions from conglomerate bands, a previously largely unregulated field. The festival provided an official definition of conglomerate bands, stating that they need to follow a specific course of study, as well as a scope and sequence, all in addition to weekly rehearsals and scheduled public performances. All-Star, All-State, and All-Region bands are barred from competition, as are bands created for the sole purpose of competing in Essentially Ellington.
In 2025, for the 30th anniversary of the competition and festival, the region system was once again temporarily disbanded and a total of thirty bands were selected to participate, double the amount in years prior. Twenty-seven bands were chosen across the United States via audition, and three international bands from Japan, Australia, and Spain received special invitation to compete. For the first time, the competition was held in two rounds. In round one, the 30 bands were split in two groups of 15, with each group adjudicated by a separate judging panel. Both panels advanced five ensembles each, creating a final round of ten competitors to compete for a spot in the top three. The final concert and awards ceremony was held at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center.

Notable alumni

Many Essentially Ellington participants have gone on to lead successful musical careers. Some have become permanent or substitute members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and/or faculty for Jazz at Lincoln Center's other youth programs.

Finalists

Several high school bands from the Seattle area have participated including repeat finalists: Roosevelt; Garfield; Bothell; Shorewood; Mount Si; Edmonds-Woodway; Mountlake Terrace; Newport and Ballard high schools. In 2008, five of the fifteen bands to compete were from the greater Seattle area. Acknowledging the region's dominance at the competition, Marsalis, tongue only half in cheek, challenged the remaining schools/regions, "to do something about Seattle and Washington."
An asterisk indicates a band was chosen as the winner of the community ensemble showcase, but did not directly compete in the festival.

Alabama

Arizona

  • Tucson Jazz Institute – Tucson, Arizona, 2010*, 2012*, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2025

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Missouri

  • Grandview High School – Grandview, Missouri, 2007

Nebraska

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

  • Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble – Raleigh, North Carolina, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Australia

Canada

Cuba

  • La Jazz Band del Amadeo Roldán de la Habana – Havana, Cuba, 2020

Japan

  • Tomisato High School – Tomisato, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, 2020, 2025

Scotland

  • Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra – Edinburgh, Scotland, 2020

Spain

Winners by year

YearJudgesFirst placeSecond placeThird placeHonorable mentionNotes
1996Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School Honeoye Falls–Lima High School Adlai E. Stevenson High School N/A-
1997Foxborough High School Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School William H. Hall High School Honeoye Falls–Lima High School
Pennsbury High School 		-
1998William H. Hall High School Foxborough High School Sun Prairie Jazz Ensemble Guilford High School
Lexington High School 		-
1999Wynton Marsalis, Aaron Bell, Chuck Israels, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Paquito D'RiveraFiorello H. LaGuardia High School William H. Hall High School High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Howard W. Blake High School
Foxborough High School
Garfield High School 		Twenty finalist bands were invited to compete in the 1999 festival.
2000William H. Hall High School New World School of the Arts Roosevelt High School Foxborough High School
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School
Garfield High School 		-
2001The 315 All-Stars Roosevelt High School The Lovett School William H. Hall High School
Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage
Foxborough High School 		-
2002Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Stanley Cowell, Arturo O’FarrillRoosevelt High School Garfield High School New World School of the Arts Mountlake Terrace High School -
2003Garfield High School New World School of the Arts Los Angeles County High School for the Arts SF Jazz All-Star High School Ensemble
The 315 All-Stars 		-
2004Garfield High School Foxborough High School Sun Prairie Jazz Ensemble New World School of the Arts
The Lovett School 		-
2005Wynton Marsalis, David Baker, David Berger, Gunther SchullerNew World School of the Arts Roosevelt High School Mountlake Terrace High School Shorewood High School Conglomerate winner: Eastman Youth Jazz Ensemble
2006Wynton Marsalis, David Baker, David Berger, Gunther SchullerDouglas Anderson School of the Arts Battle Ground High School Garfield High School Agoura High School Conglomerate winner: Eastman Youth Jazz Ensemble
2007Wynton Marsalis, David Baker, David Berger, Gunther SchullerRoosevelt High School Agoura High School Studio Jazz Foxborough High School King Philip Regional High School Conglomerate winner: American Music Program
For the 2007 festival, Agoura High School had two separate ensembles competing; Agoura High School Studio Jazz, and Agoura High School Jazz A; the only school to date to achieve this feat.
2008Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Reggie Thomas, Bob WilberRoosevelt High School Garfield High School Sun Prairie Jazz Ensemble Shorewood High School Conglomerate winners: American Music Program and Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage
2009Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Reggie Thomas, Gerald WilsonGarfield High School Roosevelt High School Eau Claire Memorial High School New World School of the Arts Conglomerate winner: American Music Program
2010Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Ted Buehrer, Jimmy Heath, Rodney WhitakerGarfield High School Dillard High School Foxborough High School Roosevelt High School Conglomerate winner: Tucson Jazz Institute
2011Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Rich DeRosa, Vincent Gardner, Jeff HamiltonDillard High School Roosevelt High School Mountlake Terrace High School New World School of the Arts Conglomerate winner: American Music Program
2012Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Bill Dobbins, Jeff Hamilton, Sherman IrbyDillard High School Roosevelt High School New World School of the Arts Rio Americano High School Conglomerate winner: Tucson Jazz Institute
2013Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Rich DeRosa, Victor Goines, Ron CarterTucson Jazz Institute Jazz House Kids Roosevelt High School Dillard High School Composition Contest added to festival, separate conglomerate band category removed
2014Wynton Marsalis, David Berger, Jeff Hamilton, Chris Crenshaw, Chuck IsraelsTucson Jazz Institute Jazz House Kids Dillard High School Garfield High School -
2015Wynton Marsalis, Carlos Henriquez, Dee Spencer, Jeff Hamilton, David BergerAmerican Music Program Tucson Jazz Institute Lexington High School Dillard High School -
2016Wynton Marsalis, Chris Crenshaw, Lauren Sevian, Jeff Hamilton, Chuck IsraelsNew World School of the Arts Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble Tucson Jazz Institute N/A-
2017Wynton Marsalis, Sean Jones, Jeff Hamilton, Erica von Kleist, Bob MorganTucson Jazz Institute Denver School of the Arts Dillard High School Newark Academy -
2018Wynton Marsalis, Bill Charlap, Jeff Hamilton, Todd Williams, Erica von KleistDillard High School Newark Academy Tucson Jazz Institute Beloit Memorial High School
Roosevelt High School 		-
2019Wynton Marsalis, Walter Blanding, Aaron Diehl, Jeff Hamilton, Lauren SevianRoosevelt High School Dillard High School Foxborough High School N/A-
2020Wynton MarsalisN/AN/AN/AN/ATwenty-three total bands invited to compete, including five international bands. In-person festival cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; no winners announced but individual soloists and sections were recognized.
2021Wynton Marsalis, Darcy James Argue, John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, and Catherine RussellN/AN/AN/AN/AIn-person festival cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; no winners announced but individual soloists and sections were recognized.
2022Wynton Marsalis, Chris Crenshaw, Joe Lovano, Carmen Bradford, Jeff HamiltonOsceola County School for the Arts Foxborough High School Orange County School of the Arts N/A-
2023Wynton Marsalis, Francisco Torres, Jeff Hamilton, Carlos Henriquez, Alexa TarantinoOsceola County School for the Arts Susan E. Wagner High School New World School of the Arts N/A-
2024Sherman Irby, Jeff Hamilton, Terell Stafford, Jennifer Krupa, Sean JonesNewark Academy Osceola County School for the Arts Agoura High School N/A-
2025Round I Judges: Joseph Jefferson, Ingrid Jensen, Sherrie Maricle, Ulysses Owens Jr., Catherine Russell, Reggie Thomas, Camille Thurman, Bijon Watson, Liesl Whitaker, Todd Williams
Round II Judges: Wynton Marsalis, Randy Brecker, Carmen Bradford, Rich DeRosa, Branford Marsalis		Memphis Central High School Sant Andreu Jazz Band Osceola County School for the Arts Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts Thirty total bands invited to compete, including three international bands.

Composition Contest Winners

YearComposerSchoolCity
2013Devon GillinghamTranscona Collegiate InstituteWinnipeg, Manitoba
2014Jeric RocamoraRio Americano High SchoolSacramento, California
2015Matt WongSan Francisco Independence High SchoolSan Francisco, California
2016Joseph BlockGermantown Friends SchoolPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
2017Ethan MoffittVerdugo AcademyGlendale, California
2018Summer CamargoDillard Center for the ArtsFort Lauderdale, Florida
2019Miles LennoxDillard Center for the ArtsFort Lauderdale, Florida
2020Leo SteindawgLower Merion High SchoolArdmore, Pennsylvania
2021Daiki NakajimaProspect High SchoolSaratoga, California
2022Skylar TangCrystal Springs Uplands SchoolHillsborough, California
2023Henry Koban PayneLower Merion High SchoolArdmore, Pennsylvania
2024Ori MooreDurham AcademyChapel Hill, North Carolina
2025Ethan LiaoSan Francisco University High SchoolSan Francisco, California