The Liberty Central School District Music Department will host the 28th Annual Liberty Jazz Festival on Saturday, Feb. 7, in the Liberty Middle School gymnasium.

The festival will feature high school and middle school jazz ensembles from the Liberty, Monticello, Tri-Valley, Rockland and Eldred school districts. The students will work with a renowned jazz artist during the day and all of the groups will collaborate for a concert at 7 p.m.

This year’s clinician is Michael Berkowitz. Mr. Berkowitz brings his professional experience, personal charisma and “witty banter” to concert stages in what reviewers call “a model of high quality conducting technique.”

Composer-conductor Johnny Green called Michael Berkowitz a “Drummer Conductor Extraordinaire.” Berkowitz has led numerous orchestras, including the Boston Pops, London Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and the National Symphony, and has conducted for Marvin Hamlisch, Roberta Flack, Maureen McGovern, Michael Feinstein and Sarah Brightman. He is also featured on recordings with Steve Lawrence, Placido Domingo, Linda Eder and countless original cast albums, movies, jingles, and television performances. As a drummer, he has performed for Henry Mancini, Liza Minnelli, Michael Crawford, Billy Joel, Sting, Elton John and Bette Midler.

Berkowitz began performing as a drummer at the age of 11 in his hometown of Indianapolis. After studying music at Indiana University, he began touring with Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams and Henry Mancini, the latter persuading him to move to Los Angeles, where he became one of the city’s busiest studio musicians, working with stars such as Gloria Estefan, Linda Ronstadt, Ringo Starr, Helen Reddy, Seals and Crofts, and The Association.

Berkowitz has performed on many television programs including The Academy Awards, The Tonight Show, The Tony Awards, The Today Show, A Capitol Fourth, Great Performances, Live From Lincoln Center and Concerts at the White House.

“We are thrilled to have him work with our students,” said Liberty Central School District Director of Music Mr. Eric Aweh, who organized the festival.

The clinic will take place from 3-5:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Liberty Middle School Gymnasium. The snow date will be Sunday, Feb. 8.

Admission for the event is $5. For a family of five or more the maximum price will be $25. Tickets will be on sale in the gymnasium lobby.

For more information, contact Mr. Aweh at 845-292-5400, ext. 5116, or eaweh@libertyk12.org.