The educational component of the Oceanside Jazz Festival takes place over two weekends and is open to all middle school, high school, college, and community vocal jazz ensembles and jazz bands. Each ensemble has the opportunity to perform in a supportive non-competitive environment.
Professional clinicians provide taped and written commentary and each group receives a video of their performance. Each group is allotted 20 minutes on stage and 30 minutes for a post-performance critique by one of our professional educators. The festival dedicates separate rooms for pre-performance warm up and post-performances. In addition, workshops and clinics on various topics will be featured throughout the festival.
All choir and band performances take place in the MiraCosta Concert Hall (capacity 420 people). Rhythm section equipment (drum set, bass amp, and guitar amp) and sound technicians will be provided for both instrumental and vocal ensembles. The Concert Hall will be equipped with up to 20 wireless microphones for the vocal festival. There will also be a rehearsal room available for choirs needing house rhythm section accompaniment (we can provide rhythm section players for a fee).
The vocal festival uses a unique ‘flight’ system to keep the festival flowing smoothly and ensure audiences for every single choir. Choirs will be assigned performance slots in groups in three, and all three choirs will have the same warm-up time and post-performance critique time (in separate rooms, of course). Choirs are expected to be in the concert hall for all three performances in their flight. Our festival is entirely integrated by level – middle school, high school, college, and community groups can perform on any day.
Tickets to the evening concerts featuring MiraCosta jazz ensembles and special guest artists will be on sale to the public. We strongly encourage ensemble directors to purchase your concert tickets when you send in your registration fee to ensure the best price and availability, and allow your ensemble to be seated together.
Registration and payment of fees must be completed to ensure a spot in the festival. Group performance preferences will be assigned in the order of payment received. Specific performance times will be assigned 2-3 weeks before the festival.
Oceanside Jazz Festival Important Dates
- December: Ensemble registration opens
- February 15, 2024: Vocal Group Deadline to Register
- February 29, 2024: Deadline to receive 100% refund (see below)
- March 15, 2024: Deadline to receive partial refund (see below)
- April 4-6, 2024: 18th Annual Oceanside Jazz Festival - Vocal
Note: The Instrumental Jazz Festival will resume in 2025
2024 Pricing (Choirs)
Our festival registration options have been streamlined for your convenience. Save and get a $75 registration discount with the purchase of 10 or more discounted concert tickets per choir.
OJF Choir Regular Registration
- Choir Registration Fee = $375
- Individual Concert Tickets = $20 adults / $15 students
OJF Choir Discount Package*
- Choir Registration Fee = $300 ($75 savings)
- Group Concert Tickets = $15 each (25% discount)
* Requires minimum purchase of 10 concert tickets @ $15 each
Festival Refund Policy
If you withdraw from the festival before the 100% refund deadline, you will receive a full refund of fees, including registration and concert tickets.
Cancellation after the 100% refund deadline, but before or on the last day to receive partial refunds: no refund of registration fees, 50% refund on concert tickets, 50% discount on festival registration for the next year's Oceanside Jazz Festival.
Cancellation after the last day to receive partial refunds: no refund of registration fees or concert tickets, 50% discount on festival registration for next year's Oceanside Jazz Festival.
Notification of your withdrawal from the festival must be documented by an email request or other physical correspondence.
Future Festival Dates
- 2025 Vocal: April 3-5 (tentative)
- 2025 Instrumental: May 3 (tentative)
Policy For Supervision Of Minors
If there are minors in your group, a responsible party affiliated with your group must always supervise the minors while on MiraCosta's campus. If minors in your group will be separated from their director during the event or their director will be occupied during the event in a manner that will not allow them to always supervise all the minors, there must be another adult affiliated with your group present, such as a parent chaperone, to help with supervision. MiraCosta College cannot assume responsibility for minors unaffiliated with the college.
