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The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival seeks to improve lives through the performance and enjoyment of jazz, and to nurture this uniquely American art form.

The University of Idaho and jazz legend Lionel Hampton take great pride in presenting the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. This internationally acclaimed celebration is a masterful combination of entertainment and education. Thousands of students from all over the US and beyond gather in late February on the University of Idaho campus. They come to learn from the great jazz legends, those artists who have made jazz what it is. The festival conducts four days of performance competitions for students from elementary through college level. Each performance is judged by leading jazz educators who provide immediate feedback. The winners have the opportunity to perform in special winners' concerts, and these high voltage events are highly motivating for young musicians. In addition, jazz musicians share their expertise in more than thirty workshops. Each day is made complete by an evening concert, featuring some of the greatest artists known to jazz.