Performing Arts

Triton Jazz Festival

The thirteenth annual Triton Jazz Festival will be held Tuesday, January 13 through Friday, January 16, 2026. Area high school jazz band directors, we invite you and your students to take part in this educational opportunity!

Each participating band will be allowed a performance to an adjudication panel of 3 jazz educators. Following each performance, bands will receive a clinic from an educator in a separate rehearsal room. Bands will perform by IHSMA class, with 3A bands performing on Tuesday, January 13; 1A bands performing on Wednesday, January 14; and 2A performing on Thursday, January 15. 4A bands will perform on Friday, January 16. Place awards will be given to the top 3 schools in each class, with remaining rankings not being made public.

Entry fee for the Triton Jazz Festival will be $160 per band. A maximum of 20 bands per day will be allowed to perform. Admission for spectators will be FREE of charge. Deadline for registration and payment is December 8, 2025. Unfortunately we cannot offer refunds due to weather or transportation/mechanical issues. If we are able to reschedule a band, we will do so in our performance lineup. There is no makeup day in the unlikely event the festival were to be cancelled.

Required and related forms (soloist sheet, repertoire sheet, campus maps, schedules and instructions) are available online and will be emailed to registering directors. For traveling schools, we again will have meals available to purchase in our campus cafeteria for a nominal fee. We hope you will encourage your students to listen to the performances of other schools.

The Triton Jazz Festival was created when several directors expressed to us the desire for a festival in our area of the state, as well as a festival that provides feedback to bands before IHSMA state contest. We welcome your bands to our campus, to our festival and are confident the festival will meet these needs and more. The Triton Jazz Festival is not just for your top/competition bands! Please consider bringing multiple bands. All of your students deserve an experience away to travel and more! Bands now attend from across the state of Iowa, as well as occasionally from out of state, to get the educational experience from our clinicians and adjudicators, as well as the experience of traveling to start the contest season and so much more. If you are interest in participating, or have any questions, please reach out to Jeremy Smith, Director of Athletic Bands at smith_jeremy@iowacentral.edu or at 515-574-1207

Thanks to all that participated in the 2025 Triton Jazz Festival

Band results and soloist awards are now posted. We look forward to hosting you again in 2026!

2025 Solo Awards
2025 Rankings
Historical Rankings

Past Photo Galleries

Register Your Band!

Performance Application (online form)
Performance Application (print form)

Important Forms

Adjudication Form
Campus Map
Copyright Compliance Form
Director Information
General Information
Invoice Form (one band)
Invoice Form (two bands)
Meal Purchase Form
Performance Schedule 3A - Tuesday 2025
Performance Schedule 1A – Wednesday 2025
Performance Schedule 2A – Thursday 2025
Performance Schedule 4A - Friday 2025
Personnel Sheet
Soloist Sheet
Stage Diagram
Traffic Flow

Future Jazz Festival Dates

Dates are tentative and subject to change.

2026 – January 13, 14, 15, 16
2027 – January 12, 13, 14, 15
2028 – January 11, 12, 13, 14

2021 Virtual Concert Performance

Iowa Central is awesome. There are personable teachers, a large campus feel, excellent music and drama departments, and the college is generous with scholarships. I’ve had some of the best experiences of my life here.

Anna Ingalls