I am sitting in rehearsal watching 19 outstanding high school singers from across Michigan on system, working hard through a multiple-divisi arrangement by Tim Buchholz, in preparation for their concert Friday night at the Michigan Music Conference.
I am sitting in rehearsal watching 19 outstanding high school singers from across Michigan on system, working hard through a multiple-divisi arrangement by Tim Buchholz, in preparation for their concert Friday night at the Michigan Music Conference.
I’ve been working on the details of this weekend since last January, when Duane Davis was invited to conduct and we began working on literature and a long to do list.
Every state in the United States has some format of traditional high school honor choir. But fewer than half of the US states have any kind of honor choir focused on jazz vocal singing.
Why do I believe in All-State Jazz Choirs? For me, there are several big reasons. They include:
- Opportunity. These singers have the opportunity to make music at a level and in a style that they might not have in their home school. The majority of the students in the Michigan group do not sing vocal jazz regularly at home, though their teachers value the experience enough to encourage their audition.
- Outreach. An All-State Jazz Choir can be at the center of an effort to inspire more jazz education in choral programs. When teachers see the joy, fun, and proficiency these singers exhibit tonight, it’s my hope that they go home wanting to introduce their own students to the style.
- Representation. What can we do to expand the reach of our music programs to include more minorities, both in our repertoire and in the students we serve? In both cases, a jazz choir offers opportunities. More than 20% of the 2020 Michigan All-State Jazz Choir is African American, and the choir is singing jazz repertoire including compositions and arrangements by great African American musicians including Bobby McFerrin, Clifford Brown, and Duane Davis.
In recent months I’ve been in touch with colleagues who have thirty-year honors jazz choir traditions in their state, and colleagues who are seeking to begin ensembles in their state. In all cases, there is a recognition of how much it good the ensemble can do – for the art form, certainly, but more importantly for the students’ musical education throughout their state.
The All-State Jazz Honors Choir should only be one of several points of focus for people aiming to increase access to vocal jazz specially for high school students; but it’s a vital one.
I’ve been working on the details of this weekend since last January, when Duane Davis was invited to conduct and we began working on literature and a long to do list.
Every state in the United States has some format of traditional high school honor choir. But fewer than half of the US states have any kind of honor choir focused on jazz vocal singing.
Why do I believe in All-State Jazz Choirs? For me, there are several big reasons. They include:
- Opportunity. These singers have the opportunity to make music at a level and in a style that they might not have in their home school. The majority of the students in the Michigan group do not sing vocal jazz regularly at home, though their teachers value the experience enough to encourage their audition.
- Outreach. An All-State Jazz Choir can be at the center of an effort to inspire more jazz education in choral programs. When teachers see the joy, fun, and proficiency these singers exhibit tonight, it’s my hope that they go home wanting to introduce their own students to the style.
- Representation. What can we do to expand the reach of our music programs to include more minorities, both in our repertoire and in the students we serve? In both cases, a jazz choir offers opportunities. More than 20% of the 2020 Michigan All-State Jazz Choir is African American, and the choir is singing jazz repertoire including compositions and arrangements by great African American musicians including Bobby McFerrin, Clifford Brown, and Duane Davis.
In recent months I’ve been in touch with colleagues who have thirty-year honors jazz choir traditions in their state, and colleagues who are seeking to begin ensembles in their state. In all cases, there is a recognition of how much it good the ensemble can do – for the art form, certainly, but more importantly for the students’ musical education throughout their state.
The All-State Jazz Honors Choir should only be one of several points of focus for people aiming to increase access to vocal jazz specially for high school students; but it’s a vital one.