The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Class Got Brass competition will take place on Sunday, April 2 at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center (1225 N. Rampart Street). Gates open at 1pm and the competition begins at 2pm. 

Class Got Brass is free and open to the public.

Louisiana middle and high schools who register for the competition create a New Orleans-style brass ensemble with up to 12 members and compete in a second line-style parade for a select group of celebrity judges. Winning schools will take home a share of over $45,000 in funding for musical instruments and other supplies. The competition will have both beginner and advanced categories. All competing schools will receive at least a $1,000 stipend towards musical programs.

School bands scheduled to compete in the Advanced category include Abramson Sci Academy, Bonnabel High School, Edna Karr High School, George Washington Carver High School, L W Higgins High School, L B Landry High School, McDonogh 35, New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy, Riverdale High School, and Young Audiences Charter Schools. First place winners in the advanced category will receive $10,000, second place $7,000, and third place $5,000.

Competing in the Beginner category are Akili Academy, Baker Middle School, Belle Chasse Academy, Crescent City Christian School, Fannie C Williams Charter School, GEO Next Generation High School, Grace King High School, Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy, KIPP Central City Academy, KIPP East Academy, Langston Hughes Academy, Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School of Literature and Technology, Mildred Osborne Charter School, Pierre A. Capdau, St. Mary’s Academy, and St. Mary’s Dominican High School. First place winners in the beginner category will receive $5,000, second place $4,000, and third place $3,000.

Registration for participating school bands begins at 11:00am.

Gates open at 1:00pm.

The competition begins at 2:00pm.

Information about Class Got Brass, including the full competition guidelines, and a song list may be found on classgotbrass.org

Class Got Brass is presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Preservation Hall Foundation.