Distinguished Concerts International - New York

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Friday, April 9, 2010
8:00 PM

STERN AUDITORIUM/PERELMAN STAGE, CARNEGIE HALL

Phil Mattson Vocal Jazz Festival

Phil Mattson, Guest Conductor

Featuring Distinguished Concert Singers International: Badinage (KS), Burnsville High School Freestyle (MN), Los Gatos High School Jazz Purr (CA), San Marin High School Jazz Band (CA), San Marin High School Jazz Choir (CA), SHE3! & Sparta Vocal Jazz (WI), Valencia Vikings High School Choir, Valencia Vocal Jazz Seven AM and Vocal Jazz Two N' Four (CA), Voices of Fire (MN)

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Ensemble bios

Badinage is one of two vocal jazz ensembles at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas. This ensemble accepts up to eight vocalists through audition and is accompanied by an instrumental jazz combo. All members of Badinage must also be enrolled in the Chamber Choir at Hutchinson Community College. The repertoire performed by the group includes a variety of jazz styles: Standards, Swing, Latin, Ballads, and Bebop. Badinage has performed at the Carnegie Hall, Disney World, KMEA Conventions, and at major vocal jazz festivals around the nation, including the Carnegie Hall Vocal Jazz Festival, the UNT Jazz Festival, and the UNC Jazz Festival.

Neal E. Allsup is currently in his 22nd year as the Director of Choral Activities at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas, where he directs the Chamber Choir and two Vocal Jazz Ensembles. Mr. Allsup teaches courses in conducting, music history, music appreciation, private voice and is a faculty mentor in the Honors Program. Professor Allsup has been named an Outstanding College Level Teacher by the Kansas Music Educators Association in 2000. He has conducted HCC choral and vocal jazz ensembles in five performances at Carnegie Hall and seven performances at the Kansas Music Educators Convention.

FreeStyle has been in existence since 1980. Under different directors, the group has ranged from a six-voice vocal jazz ensemble to a 40-voice show choir. The group meets daily and students are required to be in another curricular choir to participate. In its seventh year under Mr. Fisher's direction, the group consists of 14 high school juniors and seniors. FreeStyle performs exclusively a cappella music ranging from early music to traditional choral to vocal jazz. FreeStyle has performed in Minneapolis, Kansas City, Chicago, the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris and The Cathedral of St. John the Devine. This is FreeStyle's first performance at Carnegie Hall.

In his seventh year at Burnsville High School, Bryan Fisher, director, directs six curricular choirs, two extra-curricular choirs, and numerous activities. Mr. Fisher holds a Bachelor's degree from Northwestern College and as a graduate student, studied choral conducting and voice at the University of MN and holds a M.Ed from St. Mary's University of MN. Before teaching Mr. Fisher sang for six years with the Dale Warland Singers and did solo and studio work. Fisher also spent two years directing choir and instructing private voice at Crown College. Mr. Fisher currently directs and sings in Deviated Septet, a professional octet, directs church choir and works as a frequent vocal/choral adjudicator and clinician.

A Los Gatos tradition, Jazz Purr was established over 30 years ago and is Los Gatos High School's premiere vocal ensemble. The group's major focus is the performance of vocal jazz, for which it has a reputation for excellence. Designated as a "Super-Talent" by the California State Department of Education, for over three decades Jazz Purr has been awarded unanimous Superior ratings at International Jazz Educators' Festivals. It represented the Monterey Jazz Festival tour "down under" in Australia, has participated in Jazz Festivals at Sea, and appeared numerous times at Carnegie Hall. This group is proud to represent its school and community as Los Gatos' Ambassadors of Song.

Diana Gill Pleasant, director, is a graduate of the University of Oregon and has taught music throughout California. She is currently teaching in Los Gatos, California where she is Performing Arts Department Chairman. She has served as producer, musical director and conductor for more than 50 musicals. She has been honored for her service to the Town of Los Gatos and selected as Distinguished Employee by her peers. She is Vice President of the Los Gatos Community Concert Association, Founder of the Los Gatos High School Theatre Improvement Project, a board member of her local Rotary Club and a regular attendee of Phil Mattson Vocal Jazz Summer Workshops.

The San Marin High School Jazz Band of Novato, California, performs frequently in the San Francisco Bay Area and attends various festivals throughout the year. They have performed at festivals and venues throughout the U.S., as well as Canada, Mexico, and Australia. The Jazz Band participated in a Vocal Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall in 2001. This group is selected by audition in the spring for the following school year.

Samantha Maas-Baldwin, director of the San Marin High School Jazz Band, is in her third year of teaching both vocal and instrumental ensembles at San Marin High School. She graduated magna cum laude from San Francisco State University with a Bachelors in Music Education, emphasis in classical voice and trumpet, and studied conducting under Dr. Joshua Haberman. Having performed under the direction of Emily Gates and Phil Mattson at the Fifth Annual Vocal Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall in 2001, Samantha is honored to now be directing an ensemble at the DCINY Jazz Festival.

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San Marin High School's Jazz Choir of Novato, California, is one of several performing music groups at the school and frequently performs in the San Francisco Bay area. The group has been in existence for 27 years and has garnered many awards and accolades. They have performed at jazz festivals in California, Oregon, New York, Canada and Australia. This group is selected by audition prior to each school year.

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These are two curricular ensembles among the six choral groups at Sparta High School, a rural public high school in western Wisconsin with approximately 700 students. Sparta Vocal Jazz, and their ‘other half', SHE3!, travel to 5-6 vocal jazz festivals each year, frequently host guest ensembles and vocal jazz artists, attend summer vocal jazz camps, and proudly call the local coffee shop their second home.

Students have enjoyed working with leading performers and educators including Phil Mattson, Michele Weir, Darmon Meader, and Steve Zegree. Solo singers have participated in Singing in Wisconsin; Dorian; NATS; ACDA State, Regional and National Conventions; WMEA; and Kids from Wisconsin. This is their fourth performance at the Carnegie Hall Vocal Jazz Festival.

The name SHE comes from their gender, as well as an acronym for "Sixth Hour Ensemble". The majority of their arrangements include 4-5 parts. SHE was one of the seven choral groups selected to perform at the WCDA State Convention two years ago.

Janette K. Hanson is in her 21st year at Sparta High School, teaching Vocal Jazz, SHE, Madrigal, Show Choir, Mixed Chorus, Concert Choir, and Treble Choir. Janette has performed in clinics and concerts with solo artists including Phil Mattson, Michele Weir, and Darmon Meader. She currently serves on the WCDA Board as All-State Vocal Jazz coordinator, State Repertoire and Standards Chair, and coordinator for the WCDA/WSMA Vocal Jazz Institute. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from Central Missouri State University and Master of Education from UW-LaCrosse. She is an active church musician, clinician, soloist, arranger, and accompanist.

Voices of Fire (MN)

Formed in 2002, Voices of Fire is the most select vocal ensemble at Holy Family Catholic High School. The group rehearses daily for 25 minutes and meets for one additional 90-minute rehearsal each week. The ten singers work with a jazz rhythm section and perform for civic groups, church groups, and various community organizations. Voices of Fire also performs at school concerts and travels to vocal jazz festivals and workshops. Members are chosen by strict audition and must also participate in one of Holy Family's curricular choral ensembles. Voices of Fire has performed at Carnegie Hall in 2004 and 2006.

John M. Popke is the Director of Vocal Music at Holy Family Catholic High School, where he directs six ensembles, coordinates liturgical music, and is Co-Director of the Drama Program. Mr. Popke holds the M.A. degree in Choral/General Music Instruction from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, and the B.A. degrees in Vocal Music Performance and Music Education, also from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. He has completed additional coursework in choral conducting and vocal jazz education. Previously, Mr. Popke taught 6-12 grade vocal music in Wisconsin and served as an adjunct instructor of music at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.

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What People Said...

Janette K. Hanson
Director
SHE3! & Sparta Vocal Jazz

Thank you very much for a wonderful musical experience last week. My students were truly thrilled to perform at Carnegie Hall with Phil Mattson. These once-in-a-lifetime experiences must be handled by an experienced and caring staff; I must commend your interns and fellow DCINY employees for their dedicated work.

Please express my gratitude to Phil, Johanna, Emily, Nicole, and any other staff members. We had a great time and hope to be back soon!

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