Tri-C Announces Incoming JazzFest Director To Lead Festival's Next Chapter
Orlando Watson returns home and assumes role on Nov. 24
CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will usher in the next chapter of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland to build on more than four decades of extraordinary artistry, education and community impact. Orlando Watson will join Tri-C as the executive director of arts engagement and signature events, the College announced.
Watson returns to Northeast Ohio to lead JazzFest's next chapter with a focus on audience growth, student engagement and long-term sustainability.
Watson was previously part of the JazzFest team from 2019 to 2022 as the associate director of Tri-C JazzFest. Watson, 34, will become the youngest director in the history of the festival. He will begin his new role on Nov. 24.
"I'm thrilled to be back at Tri-C and lead JazzFest into the future," Watson said. "We will honor the festival's remarkable legacy while ensuring its continued vitality and expanding its reach in today's ever-evolving musical landscape."
Watson was the senior director of programming at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, where he manages the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival and founded the Hooks & Phonics Festival in 2024 to celebrate the rich history of hip-hop culture.
As an artist and musician, Watson has recorded or performed with Emmy, Oscar and Grammy winners, including Terence Blanchard, Keyon Harrold, John Clayton and Braxton Cook, among others.
"Among the many reasons that JazzFest is beloved is because it fosters the history and nurtures the future of jazz, provides educational opportunities for students, and brings world-class jazz to Cleveland each year for the past 46 years," said Gabe Swarts, Ph.D., dean of the School of Creative Arts at Tri-C. "Orlando's familiarity with JazzFest will be invaluable to carrying those promises forward."
Watson will succeed his mentor, Terri Pontremoli, director of Tri-C JazzFest since 2011 and from 2002 to 2004. She transitioned to a role as director emerita before she decided on Nov. 3 to retire and focus on new opportunities in the jazz community. Under Pontremoli's leadership, the festival was honored with the Cleveland Orchestra's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Service in the Arts Award in 2024, and she received several accolades that highlight her leadership:
- Recipient of DownBeat Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024
- Named a Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2020
- Winner of the prestigious Cleveland Arts Prize in 2019
"Terri's passion has shaped JazzFest into one of the region's most respected cultural institutions," Swarts said. "She was instrumental in the festival's move from the Tri-C Metro Campus to Playhouse Square, added outdoor elements that community members enjoy each year, and elevated its philanthropic presence."
The annual event features a series of performances from nationally recognized artists attended by more than 7,000 jazz enthusiasts, with upwards of 18,500 more people attending free outdoor shows.
At its core, JazzFest is more than a concert series — it is a classroom, a laboratory and a launchpad for emerging artists. The Tri-C Jazz Academy continues to provide students with direct access to world-class mentorship, ensuring that the next generation of musicians learns from and contributes to the art form.
"Tri-C is leading a thoughtful evolution of JazzFest to strengthen its sustainability and expand its reach as one of the region’s signature cultural events," said Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., president of Tri-C. "Orlando’s homecoming is a joyful moment for our community and a powerful step to elevate the festival’s growth in both artistic and educational impact."
The 47th Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland takes place June 25 ‒ 27 this summer at Playhouse Square.
November 13, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu