Americus-Sumter Co. High to participate in George Scott Day | Arts & Culture

AMERICUS, GA - George Scott Day is a celebration of the arts that Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will host Thursday, April 21.

The event is held each year as a tribute to George Scott, an associate professor of English at ABAC, who passed away in 1994.

Free performances from high school jazz bands from throughout the state will be performed starting at 9:55 a.m.

Americus-Sumter County High School will begin their peformance at 9:55 a.m.

Here is the full press release from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

George Scott Day, an annual Celebration of the Arts, and the 33rd annual ABAC Jazz Festival will take place on April 21 on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

The event, sponsored by the ABAC School of Liberal Arts and the ABAC music program, is held each year as a tribute to George Scott, an associate professor of English at ABAC, who passed away in 1994. 

Activities begin at 9:55 a.m. at The Meadows with free performances from high school jazz bands from throughout the state.

Americus-Sumter kicks off the day at 9:55 a.m. followed by Tift County at 10:20 a.m., Lee County at 10:45 a.m., Lowndes  at 11:10 a.m., Colquitt County at 11:35 a.m., Valdosta  at noon, Ware County at 12:25 p.m., Lanier County at 12:50 p.m., Thomas County Central at 1:15 p.m., Northside of Warner Robins at 1:40 p.m., Peach County at 2:05 p.m., Henry County at 2:30 p.m., Savannah Country Day at 2:55 p.m.; and Riverdale at 3:20 p.m.

A Jazz Clinic will be held at 4:15 p.m. in Bowen Hall, Room 100 following the performances.

In addition to the jazz band performances, there will be giveaways, spotlights on club activities, art displays, and great food. 

Spectators can bring their own lunch or just come and listen to the music. In the event of rain, the Jazz Festival will take place in the Donaldson Dining Hall.

The “Pegasus” literary magazine from ABAC will host a reception in the music building from 10:30 -11 a.m.

Following this event, the “Pegasus” will hold its Poetry and Prose awards ceremony from 11 a.m. - noon featuring ABAC faculty from the School of Liberal Arts. Some selected works will also be read during the ceremony.

From 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., an ABAC art exhibit will be on display at the Meadows, featuring artwork from ABAC students.

To culminate the Jazz Festival, the ABAC Jazz Ensemble will be in concert with saxophonist and clarinetist Victor Goines in Howard Auditorium at 7 p.m.  

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students to this event.  ABAC students and faculty/staff will be admitted free.  

The ABAC Jazz Ensemble was featured in concert at the National Jazz Educators Network National Conference in St. Louis in 2010.

Goines is a New Orleans native who has played with musical greats including Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, Dizzy Gillespie, B. B. King, and Lenny Kravitz.

He has been a member of The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Septet since 1993. He has performed on more than 20 recordings and has composed more than 50 original works.

From 2000 – 2007, he served as first artistic director of the Julliard School’s jazz program and is currently the director of jazz studies at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University.

For additional information on this event, interested persons can call the ABAC music program office at (229) 391-4945.