The Tony Levin Drum Prize
Eastside Jazz Club, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
200 Jennens Road, B4 7XR
Wheelchair users are entitled to a complimentary companion seat.
You can book a free companion ticket by selecting the seat next to yours on the seating plan.
Or, for unreserved seating plans, add a second ticket to your basket.
If you wish to discuss your accessibility needs with a member of our team, please call 0121 331 5909.
Assistance dogs are welcome at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire venues. If you wish to bring an assistance dog, please let the Events Office know by calling 0121 331 5909.
Tony Levin Drum Prize
Our annual Tony Levin Drum Prize this time creates a concert highlight for our new Eastside Jazz Festival. Drum legend Tony Levin who sadly passed away in 2011 set up the prize in 2009 as a way of ensuring RBC tutors played with the students in a major public gig. Two significant figures on the international jazz scene, Jean Toussaint and Arnie Somogyi play with drum student finalists in the spirit of the famous Sonny Rollins trio to establish who is the most shining drummer in the night.
Not only is this a great opportunity to hear Jean and Arnie at close quarters but also feel the energy that the sense of occasion brings to our young drummers. It's a joyous swinging concert of high level interaction and spontaneity and promises to be a real “happening” as Tony would have said.
Running time approx. one hour and 30 minutes.
Eastside Jazz Festival 2026
Events include:
Chris Potter with the Pablo Held Trio
Rethinking Miles Davis - Book Launch
Eastside Jazz Festival
Fri 13 Feb 2026 - 12pm