Announcing the 2nd Annual Jazz Badgers:

UW Jazz Badgers (2025)

The jazz program at UW Madison invites high school students from South Central Wisconsin to audition for the Jazz Badgers, an auditioned, intense small-group jazz experience of four 2-hour rehearsals plus a performance for two jazz sextets, coached by UW-Madison jazz program faculty, Dr. Matthew Endres (UW-Madison Teaching Faculty drum set, jazz history, and UW Marching Band Percussion Coordinator) and Dr. Johannes Wallmann (pianist, UW-Madison Director of Jazz Studies, Shifting Paradigm recording artist, Yamaha Piano artist) and guest faculty.

Eligibility: 9th-12th grade instrumentalist, enrolled in a Wisconsin high school jazz ensemble.

Cost: There is no application fee. If the applicant is selected for the UW Jazz Badgers, there is a $200 participation fee.

Faculty:

• Dr. Johannes Wallmann, pianist-composer, UW-Madison Director of Jazz Studies, Shifting Paradigm recording artist, Yamaha Piano artist

• Dr. Matthew Endres, drummer, UW-Madison Teaching Faculty, drum set, jazz history, and UW Marching Band Percussion Coordinator

• Guest faculty: Arun Luthra, Jazz Saxophone Teaching Faculty, UW-Madison

• And special guest performer: GRAMMY-award winning trumpeter Terell Stafford, Director of Jazz Studies, Temple University, member: Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Clayton Brothers, Dizzy Gillespie All Stars

Applications: For full consideration, submit this form by 9 pm, January 12, 2025. Late applications may be considered if spaces have not been filled.

Program dates:

• Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 4-6 pm rehearsal

• Thu, Feb 27, 2025, 4-6 pm rehearsal

• Thu, March 6, 2025, 4-6 pm rehearsal

• Thu, March 13, 2025, 4-6 pm rehearsal & 7:30 pm performance

Questions? Please contact UW-Madison Director of Jazz Studies, Dr. Johannes Wallmann at wallmann@wisc.edu