The Peninsula Youth Jazz Band is a new program of Soundscapes open to students up to 9th grade. The group is directed by Dr. Steven Cunningham, Assistant Professor of Education at Hampton University and renowned classical and jazz trumpeter. This Jazz Band will focus on traditional big band literature, and build important experience within the genre.
The Peninsula Youth Jazz Band rehearses at Christopher Newport University’s Department of Music, located within the Ferguson Center for the Arts on Wednesdays from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
2026 Performances
Soundscapes Gala
February 21, 2026 • 6 p.m. • Newport News Marriott
Peninsula Youth Jazz Band with CNU Jazz Ensemble
April 1, 2026 • 6:30 p.m. • Ferguson Center for the Arts
Virginia Community Music Festival
April 26, 2026 • 3 p.m. • Ferguson Center for the Arts
Peninsula Youth Jazz Band with Stan’s Big Band
May 23, 2026 • 3 p.m. • The American Theatre
Audition information for the Spring of 2026 will open in November 2025.
Annual Tuition Rates
| Income Eligibility Percentage | Annual Tuition |
| 400%+ | $340 |
| 300% – 399% | $215 |
| 181% – 299% | $115 |
| 0% – 180% | $0 |
