Student jazz finalists to compete Jan. 16 in Ventura

Five finalists of the Ventura Music Festival’s Student Jazz Competition will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16 at the Laurel Theater, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura.

The students are competing to win scholarships and the opportunity to perform with Latin jazz trumpet master Arturo Sandoval on Feb. 12 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

The five students, chosen from an original field of 18 applicants, include Tanner Dawson, 17 of Moorpark High School; Rachel Flowers, 17, of Hueneme High School in Oxnard; Jacob Scesney, 17, of the Idylllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild; Sara Sithi-Amnuai, 15, of the Orange County High School of the Arts in Laguna Niguel; and Cory Smith, 16, of Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks.

Guest judges for the final selection include Jonathan Cooper, Eddie Arkin and Craig Woods.

The  competition on Jan. 16 is open to the public. There will be a suggested donation of $10 to benefit the Ventura Music Festival’s Education Outreach Programs.

For more information, call 805.648.3146 or visit http://www.venturamusicfestival.org/StudentJazzComp.html