More than 1,200 Colorado students toting trumpets, clarinets, bass violins and saxophones will descend on campus Thursday, Friday and Saturday to test their chops and jam with some of the best jazz artists in the world.

The Fourth Annual Jazz Celebration at Metro State on the Auraria Campus offers area middle and high schoolers the chance to strut their stuff and learn from jazz greats Eddie Palmieri, a seven-time Grammy winner; bassist Dave Phillips; vocalist Sunny Wilkinson, co-founder of the Sisters in Jazz mentoring program as well as the MSCD Monday Night Band; the MSCD Jazz Voices and the MSCD Faculty Jazz Septet.

"This is an incredible opportunity for young musicians to see what students are doing at other schools as well as receive instruction from world-class players," explained Music Department Chair Walter Barr. "For the entire weekend, these students will be immersed in America's music."

During the event about 65 student ensembles made up of big bands, jazz combos and vocal groups will perform, attend concerts and participate in workshops. Metro alumnus Martin Martinez, a band director from Denver's Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, again plans to showcase a jazz mariachi ensemble. There will also be a steel pan group and plenty of musicians tackling the Great American songbook. The students hail from locations as far-flung as Durango and Grand Junction and as nearby as Denver's East High School.

In addition to student performances and workshops, the celebration showcases guest artists performing evening concerts with Metro jazz groups. Concerts are 7:30 p.m. in the King Center and are free to Metro faculty, staff and students.

For a complete schedule of the Fourth Annual Jazz Celebration at Metro State, visit www.musicatmetro.org.