KCMEA JAZZ DAY
2026
JAZZ DAY RETURNS ON APRIL 16!
The Kern County Music Educators' Association and the Bakersfield College Jazz Studies Program are pleased to announce the 9th annual KCMEA Jazz Day at Bakersfield College on Thursday, April 16, 2026. This all-day event will feature student jazz ensembles from throughout Kern County performing in the Simonsen Performing Arts Center Indoor Theater, with showcase performances by the BC Jazz Ensemble, the BC Faculty Jazz Combo, and the Kern County Honor Jazz Band.
All events in the PAC Indoor Theater are free and open to the public. See below for info and directions for campus visitors.
HEAD CLINICIAN
Our head clinician is pianist, composer, and educator Cathlene Pineda. Based in Los Angeles, Cathlene is currently co-director of the jazz program at the California Institute of the Arts, where she also teaches piano and composition. As a performer, she has worked with many notable musicians and composers including Charlie Haden, Bobby Bradford, Art Lande, Wadada Leo Smith, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Dave Douglas, and Jeff Parker. Her recordings on Orenda Records have earned praise in DownBeat and the LA Times, and recent projects include collaborations with the LA Philharmonic, Weimar Film Institute, Big Show Dance Company, Oakwood School, Angel City Jazz Festival, Jakarta Institute of the Arts, Merce Cunningham Dance Studio in New York City, the Skirball Center, and the Jane Goodall Institute. Her music is featured in the critically-acclaimed film, "Jason Nash is Married," produced by Comedy Central Studios. She has been a clinician at the Reno Jazz Festival and the Idaho State University Jazz Festival, and has previously taught at Glendale Community College and CSU Northridge.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
9:45-12:15 Morning Bands (Indoor Theater)
9:45 TBA
10:10 TBA
10:35 TBA
11:00 TBA
11:25 TBA
11:50 TBA
12:15-1:00 BC Faculty Jazz Combo w/Cathlene Pineda (Indoor Theater)
1:00-1:30 Lunch Break
1:30-2:15 BC Jazz Studies Faculty Workshops (PAC Various Locations)
2:30-5:10 Afternoon Bands (Indoor Theater)
2:30 Showcase: Kern County Honor Jazz Band w/Cathlene Pineda
3:00 Showcase: Bakersfield College Jazz Ensemble
3:30 TBA
3:55 TBA
4:20 TBA
4:45 TBA
INFORMATION FOR CAMPUS VISITORS
Visitors may park in student lot P3 at Panorama and Mt. Vernon. Follow the steps below to obtain a free guest parking permit:
1. Go to https://mycampuspermit.com/bakersfield-college.html
2. Click the red "Daily Permits" button.
3. Enter 4/16/2026 as both the "from" and "to" date, and click the blue "Buy" button.
4. Click the blue "Add Promo Code" button and enter the code (check back for code)
5. Enter your name, email, and license plate information and click "Purchase".
6. No need to print and display the permit. As long as your license plate info has been entered correctly, you will not be cited.
School buses can drop students off at the loop just east of PAC building, and then park in lot P7 at Mt. Vernon and University.
INFORMATION FOR DIRECTORS
Each participating ensemble will begin with a 25-minute private clinic in the band room (PAC-2). Your students will perform 1 or 2 selections for the clinician and get tips and feedback to polish and refine their performance.
Following the clinic, your ensemble will proceed to the Indoor Theater stage to give a 15-20 minute public performance of up to 4 selections. You will receive written feedback on this performance, and it will be professionally recorded.
There will be midday breakout workshops led by BC Jazz Studies faculty. Please plan to stay and attend as many of the day's events with your students as possible!
Food is not provided. Participants should bring their own lunch or visit The Dining Commons at Campus Center (CC building) for burgers, pizza, burritos, salads, etc.
BC will provide grand piano, drum set, congas, bongos, vibraphone, guitar and bass amps, cables, stands, chairs, solo and announce mics. Please describe any special staging needs in the application form below.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Participation is limited to 10 ensembles. Applications submitted after these slots are filled will be put on a wait list in the order they are received.
The application deadline for Kern County High School ensembles is Thursday, March 12. Junior High and Middle School programs will be considered after that date if there are slots available.
Registration fees are due by Thursday, March 26. Mail a check for $200 payable to KCMEA to:
Attn: Amanda Sproul, Treasurer
KCMEA
PO Box 22403
Bakersfield, CA 93390
KCMEA is an approved vendor through KHSD. Please ensure that your check will be sent directly to the address above.
KHSD directors who are paying through district/school site funds will need an invoice for the check to be processed. Email amanda_sproul@kernhigh.org and she will generate one for you to give to your secretary.
Click here to pay with a debit or credit card via PayPal.
Further details will be sent via email upon receipt of your application. For questions, please contact Kris Tiner at kris.tiner@bakersfieldcollege.edu or 661-395-4313.