2025 Black Hawk College Jazz Festival, April 25

Afternoon Events: Friday, April 25, noon – 3 p.m.

Black Hawk College, 6600 34th Avenue, Moline IL

Kirby Fellis & BHC Jazz Ensemble Performance: Friday, April 25, 7 p.m.

Sound Conservatory, 504 17th Street, Moline IL

The invigorating sounds of modern and classical jazz will be on beautiful display on April 25 in the 2025 Black Hawk College Jazz Festival, the day featuring a series of events at Moline's Black Hawk College and an evening performance at the city's Sound Conservatory, the concert boasting the talents of the BHC Jazz Ensemble and Harper College jazz-ensemble director Kirby Fellis.

Fellis is a captivating, Chicago-based jazz trombonist, educator, arranger, and composer who graduated from Michigan State University and Northern Illinois University. Originally hailing from South Florida, Fellis has been working with award-winning jazz ensembles for more than a decade, enjoying positions in Florida, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. As a trombonist, Fellis has received awards from organizations such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Gold Coast Jazz Society, Jazz Aspen Snowmass, DePauw Jazz Festival. Chicago Jazz Festival, and Jack Rudin Jazz Festival. He has also worked with many award-winning individuals and ensembles, among them Darius Rucker, Terrell Stafford, Kurt Elling, Nate Smith, The Tom Garling Jazz Orchestra, and the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra.

As a jazz educator, Fellis is a long-standing member of JEN (Jazz education Network, ITA (International Trombone Association), Birch Creek Music and CYSO (Chicago Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra). Under the tutelage of distinguished jazz educators such as Rodney Whitaker, Reggie Thomas, and Christopher Dorsey. the artist has become a versatile educator through clinics, masterclasses, consultations, rehearsal prep, and adjudication. From more than a decade of educational experience, including at Palatine, Illinois' Harper College, Fellis has developed a sound teaching philosophy, and recently served as the All-University Jazz Ensemble Director at Northern Illinois University.

In addition to Friday night's concert with Kirby Ellis and the BHC Jazz Ensemble at Moline's Sound Conservatory, the 2025 Black Hawk College Jazz Festival will feature three afternoon activities open to the public at Black Hawk College - Quad Cities: a noon presentation on "Careers in the Music Industry" held in Building 4, Room 101; a 1 p.m. blues workshop held in Building 4, Room 115; and a 2 p.m. open rehearsal also taking place in Building 4, Room 115.

Participation on all April 25 events in the 2025 Black Hawk College Jazz Festival, including the evening's 7 p.m. Sound Conservatory concert, is free, and more information on the day is available by e-mailing music@bhc.edu, calling (309)796-5479, and visiting BHC.edu/event/2025-black-hawk-college-jazz-festival.