Jazz Year
All That Jazz, Each and Every Year
Life as a music major or minor wouldn't be complete without the opportunity to explore your favorite composer, write your own symphony, or intern with a touring company.
Knox provides two amazing opportunities for our Jazz musicians to learn, challenge themselves, and put their musical skills to use: The Mirza Jazz Residency and the Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival.
Jerome Mirza Jazz Residency
Shadowlands with John Raymond and S.Carey
January 19-23, 2026
The Jerome Mirza Jazz Residency is designed to benefit Knox students, jazz practitioners, and audiences of jazz lovers from the Galesburg and surrounding communities. It brings world-renowned jazz artists to campus for a week of intensive and collaborative jazz activities with Knox College students, culminating in a free public concert at the historic Orpheum Theatre.
Rootabaga Jazz Festival
The Baga Big Band
The music of Justin Haynes
with special guests: Victor Garcia, Greg Ward & Doug Stone
The Alyssa Allgood Sextet
May 5-9, 2026
Founded in 1980, the Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival is a five-day celebration that brings together Knox College, the Galesburg community, with internationally acclaimed performers and local musicians. The festival features performances by the Knox Jazz Ensemble, faculty, alumni, and guest artists across a variety of community venues.
