The names of Jazz Juniors 2021 finalists have been announced!

The six best bands selected by an international jury to perform at the final auditions held on 6^th October in Cracow are: Federico Calcagno & The Dolphians, Nagy Emma Quintet, Superminimalism, Twospeak, Unleashed Cooperation, and Ziemia.

The finalists of this year’s 45^th Jazz Juniors competition for young musicians have been chosen by a jury consisting of Adam Pierończyk (Poland), Jean-Paul Bourelly (USA), and Majid Bekkas (Morocco). The same jury will assess the bands during the finals, to be held on 6^th October at Cracow’s Nowa Huta Cultural Centre. The following artists have qualified for the final auditions: the Italian sextet Federico Calcagno & The Dolphians, the Hungarian Nagy Emma Quintet, the UK Twospeak quartet, as well as three bands from Poland: Superminimalism, Unleashed Cooperation, and Ziemia.

As in previous years, the winners will receive numerous prizes and awards, including the Grand Prix in the form of a CD recording and release. The final auditions will be attended by our international partners and guests, representatives of foreign festivals and record labels, which provides the musicians with a chance to sign concert and recording contracts. Also important are the individual prizes, awarded ever since the competition’s beginnings to the greatest Polish musicians. A new prize, the Janusz Muniak Award, established in 2020, will go to an instrumentalist who proves to stand out among this year’s finalists. Another accolade will be bestowed by the Andrzej Cudzich Foundation’s on the best double bass player.

Entry to the final auditions, which will take place on 6^th October at the Nowa Huta Cultural Centre, is free of charge.

Jazz Juniors 2021 is co-organised by the Nowa Huta Cultural Centre within the task titled ‘Kraków Culture at NHCC as Part of Kraków Jazz Autumn’.
The project has received financial support from the Małopolska Province.
Financed from the funds of the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport as part of the multi-annual programme NIEPODLEGŁA 2017–2022.
Co-financed from the Culture Promotion Fund of the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport, from surcharges on games restricted to state monopoly under Article 80 (1) of the Gambling Act of 19^th November 2009, as part of the programme ‘Music’ implemented by the Institute of Music and Dance.