Student Music Competition

CONGRATS WINNERS

2025

1st Place

Andrew Yuska

2nd Place

Kevin Milford, Mathayas Jones, Julian Pratt, Drew Wineberg


3rd Place

Silas McInnis, Dylan SiFuentes, Micah Perez, Golden Chan, Grant Macy

2024

1st Place

Trevor Ball & Thomas Mendez

2nd Place 

Ethan Miller, Luc NeJame, Dereck Torres-Velez, Omar Maldonado, Russell Distelhurst

Suncoast Jazz Festival

2026 Competition - TBD

The Suncoast Jazz Festival is celebrating its 36th year, November 20 to 22, 2026, at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater, Florida.  Festival attendees will hear a variety of music, including mainstream jazz, swing, early jazz, music from the Great American Songbook, Zydeco, and even a touch of gospel.

 

This year we invite student musicians to participate in the third Suncoast Jazz Festival Student Musician Competition. The Student Musician Competition will be held remotely, between September 1 and October 31, 2026.

Eligibility and Submission Criteria

  1. Students ages 12 to 20 are eligible

  2. An entry can include one to six musicians (solos, ensembles, or combos).

  3. Each submission must include the following:

    (a) for each student - name, age, and contact (e.g., email, phone, and mailing address),

    (b) school name,

    (c) name and contact information for the music teacher or band director, and

    (d) a link to your performance video uploaded to Youtube, Vimeo, or a platform of your choice.

  4. The submission should consist of a performance video clip of one arrangement.

  5. Email the submission to SuncoastJazzFestival@gmail.com between September 1 and October 15, 2025.

Students performing at the Suncoast Jazz Festival

Competition Criteria

  1. Slating (Your introduction)

  2. Preparedness

  3. Stage presence

  4. Articulation

  5. Musicality

2026 Prizes and Benefits - TBD

All student musicians who send in a submission will receive two adult single day tickets to attend this year’s Festival.  (Students may attend Festival at no charge.)

  1. All student musicians who send in a submission will be invited to attend our Festival’s Master Class held on Friday afternoon, November 20, 2026.

  2. Prizes - TBD: (divided equally when more than one musician is in the submission). 2025 prizes included:

    • 1st prize - $500 scholarship, plus an opportunity to jam with a festival band.

    • 2nd prize - $250 scholarship

    • 3rd prize - $100 scholarship