Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz

The Friends of Jazz Youth Band was directed for over 40 years by Ron Waters, who passed away in 2022.  Mr. Waters left a legacy of excellence with hundreds of students in the Central Pennsylvania region and his influence and artistry will be remembered for generations.

We will be continuing the Friends of Jazz Youth Band this fall (2023)

The Youth Band is open to all school-age musicians with musical arrangements written to suit the particular talents of the participants, no matter the instrument. Beyond the typical jazz instruments, the Youth Band has had almost every instrument imaginable: cello, oboe, violin, flute and even accordion!

All applicants are accepted without audition - we find a niche for every instrumentalist and vocalist.

Not only do students get wonderful experience playing in an improvising ensemble, but they get to meet kids from other schools who share a love for jazz. This ensemble offers a different experience than most high school jazz ensembles. Rather than simply reading charts, all members learn to improvise and get valuable experience playing jazz standards.