From coffee shops and churches to bars and auditoriums, the melodic sounds of the 33rd annual Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival give travelers another reason to visit Juneau.
Although Alaska’s capital city is renowned for its scenic splendor, from May 3 to 18, Juneau also is recognized for its musical festival which features jazz, classical and blues at a variety of venues. Many of the performances are free.
Conveniently located downtown, the Juneau Hotel is near many of the performance venues.
Linda Rosenthal, an acclaimed violinist, launched the festival in 1987, with co-founder Bob Banghart.
Her dream was simple. Rosenthal wanted to share the music she loves with the community she calls home.
This year’s festival kicks off with a performance by pianists Julie Coucheron and William Ransom, the festival’s artistic director.
It concludes with a concert by the Mark O’Connor Band, which won the Best Bluegrass Album award at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
In between, festival goers will be treated to musical performances by King Louie and LaRhonda Steele, the Volante Winds, the Gonzalo Bergara Trio, the Argus Quartet, Eliot Fisk, and the Jaimiee Paul Jazz Band with Leif Shires.
7:30 p.m. May 3
Baranof Treadwell Room, 127 N. Franklin St.
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $20
Pianists Julie Coucheron and William Ransom promise to dazzle with their display of piano wizardry during the opening concert of the 33rd annual Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival. Coucheron, the Artist-In-Residence at Kennesaw State University, has won national competitions in the United States, Italy, and Germany. She also collaborated with Elton John, the Steve Miller Band, as well as classical Lazar Berman, Claude Frank, Emanuel Ax, and Vladimir Feltsman.
Noon May 4
Heritage Café, 174 S. Franklin St.
Cost: Free
3 p.m. May 4
Mendenhall Library, 3025 Riverside Drive
Cost: Free
7:30 p.m. May 4
Centennial Hall, 101 Egan Drive
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $20
Organist Louis “King Louie” Pain and vocalist LaRhonda Steele blend blues, soul, and jazz for a fun and funky show.
4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. May 5
Chapel at the Shrine of St. Therese, 21425 Glacier Highway
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $25
The Volante Wind Quintet, comprised of doctoral candidates at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, will perform pieces by Jacques Ibert, Giulio Briccialdi, Robert Muczynski, György Orbán, and Julius Röntgen.
5:30 p.m. May 6
Alaskan Brewing Co. Depot, 219 S Franklin St.
Cost: Free
Noon May 7
State Office Building Atrium, 333 Willoughby Ave.
Cost: Free
6:30-8 p.m.
Egan Library at University of Alaska Southeast, 11120 Glacier Highway
Cost: Participant $25, Auditor $10
6:30-8 p.m.
Egan Classrooms at University of Alaska Southeast, 11120 Glacier Highway
Cost: Participant $25, Auditor $10
6:30-8 p.m.
Egan Classrooms at University of Alaska Southeast, 11120 Glacier Highway
Cost: Participant $25, Auditor $10
Noon May 8
State Office Building Atrium, 333 Willoughby Ave.
Cost: Free
5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. May 8
Walter Soboleff Building, 105 S. Seward St.
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $20
The Volante Wind Quintet will perform pieces by Samuel Barber, Claude-Paul Taffanel, Henri Tomasi, and Eric Ewazen.
5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. May 9
Marie Drake Planetarium, 1415 Glacier Ave.
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $25
Eliot Fisk, a classical guitarist, performs in traditional venues as well as schools, senior centers, logging camps, and prisons. Fisk also has transcribed Bach’s six solo cello suites for guitar.
4 p.m. May 10
Lobby at the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building, 395 Whittier St.
Cost: Free
7:30 p.m. May 10
Juneau Arts and Cultural Center, 350 Whittier St.
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $20
Gonzalo Bergara, who performs with his Gonzalo Bergara Trio, has created his blend of Gypsy Jazz by mixing the sounds of Paris with the rhythms of his native Argentina. A composer and guitarist, Bergara started playing professionally at age 16. He came to the United States in 2000 at age 19. He has since toured the world and performed at The Montreal Jazz Fest and the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl.
Noon May 11
Heritage Café, 174 S. Franklin St.
Cost: Free
6:30 p.m. May 11
Egan Library at University of Alaska Southeast, 11120 Glacier Highway
Cost: General $50, Senior $45, Student w/ID $40
Gonzalo Bergara and Elliot Fisk provide dueling guitar styles for the festival’s signature pairing of jazz and classical styles.
4 and 6:30 p.m. May 12
Chapel at the Shrine of St. Therese, 21425 Glacier Highway
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $25
The Argus Quartet, which is the Graduate Quartet in Residence at New York’s Julliard School, will perform. Their Juneau appearances are part of the group’s 2018-19 performance schedule that will take them to 15 states.
Noon May 14
State Office Building Atrium, 333 Willoughby Ave.
Cost: Free
6:30-8 p.m. May 14
Egan Classrooms at University of Alaska Southeast, 11120 Glacier Highway
Cost: Participant $25, Auditor $10
6:30-8 p.m. May 14
Egan Library at University of Alaska Southeast, 11120 Glacier Highway
Cost: Participant $25, Auditor $10
Noon May 15
State Office Building Atrium, 333 Willoughby Ave.
Cost: Free
5:30 and 7:30 p.m. May 15
Walter Soboleff Building, 105 S. Seward St.
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $20
The Argus Quartet will perform pieces by Mozart, Garth Knox, and Claude Debussy.
7:30 p.m. May 16
Juneau Arts and Cultural Center, 350 Whittier St.
Cost: General $35, Senior $30, Student w/ID $20
Jaimee Paul, who previously toured as a backup singer for Wynonna Judd, the Judds, and Kelly Clarkson, will create a jazz cabaret experience with her band featuring Leif Shires on trumpet.
8 p.m. May 17
TK Maguire’s Lounge, 375 Whittier St.
Cost: Free
7:30 p.m. May 18
Centennial Hall, 101 Egan Drive
Cost: General $45, Senior $40, Student w/ID $20
The Mark O’Connor Band blends country, pop, bluegrass and chamber music. The band has served as the opening act for the Zac Brown Band and received standing ovations at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Tickets for performances can be purchased online through the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council box office.
You don’t need a car to see all the neat sights in Juneau downtown since it is so walkable. However, you might need ground transportation for these experiences.
Looking for the best Juneau restaurants? This list breaks down the best dining experiences based on price and food type to help you pick a good restaurant.
To find the best excursions, read up on Juneau dog sledding & glacier helicopter tour reviews. Learn which ones are the best.
