ELLA FITZGERALD COMPETITION
THE 2020-21 ELLA FITZGERALD COMPETITION HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL 23, 2022. The 2019-20 event will be conducted between April 23-25, 2021 in Washington, DC. Of the five finalists selected for this year’s competition two are overseas and incapable of attending this year’s competition due to the global pandemic and this year’s international travel ban. Next year’s event will coincide with our 16th annual BIG BAND JAM! and our previously planned schedule will be replicated if circumstances permit. Our celebrity judge will continue to be GRAMMY-award winning vocalist Lisa Fischer. Our judges remain:
• Darden Purcell (George Mason University)
• Alison Crockett (George Washington University)
• Jessica Boykin-Settles (Howard University)
The final competition will take place at the iconic Blues Alley Jazz supper club in Washington, DC between 12-3:00 pm on Saturday, April 24th with the doors opening at 11:00 am. There is no cost for admission however donations are encouraged. Seating will be limited to the first 100 reservations on a first-come, first served basis and there will be limited refreshments available for purchase. We remain committed to keeping this event as inexpensive as possible and are therefore seeking underwriters to help us sustain and expand this important programming for generations to come.