Talented young musicians from across New Zealand are being invited to enter this year's ASB Queenstown JazzFest Jump Start Jazz Competition, being held next month.
The AJ Hackett Bungy Youth Competition is open to musicians from 12 to 17 years of age, while the NZone Emerging Talent Competition is open to anyone from 18 to 25 years.
Both are intended to give exposure to young musicians and help launch their musical careers.
Organiser Stephanie Percy said any entrant who demonstrated an understanding of the key elements of jazz was welcome at the Jump Start Jazz Competition.
"It's a wide genre and we're looking for attitude.
"An entry can be a standard or a jazz interpretation of a non-jazz piece, and in previous years we've been surprised and delighted by the talent that's out there just waiting to be discovered."
This year, the competition has been extended to cover a wider age range, making it essentially two competitions in one.
Open auditions for the youth competition will be held on October 24 in Queenstown.
Categories include solo vocal, solo instrumental and band, with the band section open to all high school pupils, regardless of age.
Entrants have until 5pm on October 16 to register online at www.asbjazzfest.co.nz.
The winning soloist will receive $600 cash, with $200 to the runner-up and $1500 to the top band.
The emerging talent competition is open to professionals and amateurs, with the finalists being selected from an initial audition round via DVD or web upload submissions.
They will be invited to perform live before a judging panel and audience in Queenstown on October 25 at The Millennium Hotel.
Categories include solo vocal and solo instrumental and entries must be submitted by 4pm on October 2.
The emerging talent winner will receive $1000 cash, the runner-up $400, and the top three placegetters will each receive an NZone skydive.
All finalists will also be given free entry to a work-shop, forum or master class of their choice from the festival development programme.
Ms Percy said the competitions were being held over the peak time of the festival to enable contestants to soak up the jazz music and atmosphere and take part in workshops.
