 Another young piano star from the Twin Cities, Paris Strother is a student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Photo by Andrea Canter
Three
of the area's top young jazz pianists will compete this weekend for
scholarships and a club performance date. This first annual
competition for students age 16-18 is sponsored by the Dakota
Foundation for Jazz Education (J-Train) and The Schubert Club.
Established to reward excellence among students of America's great
indigenous art form, three scholarships, totaling $1500, will include
the David Paulus Memorial Scholarship, the Marie Froelich Memorial
Scholarship, and the Dakota Foundation Scholarship. A selected finalist will also be invited to perform at
The Dakota Jazz Club and at a Schubert Club Courtroom Concert later
in the year.
The
Three Finalists
-
Jacob Siegel, 16, of East
View High School, Apple Valley, is new to Minnesota, arriving this year from Maine, where he studied with Tony Boffa. He plays in Eastview's Jazz Ensemble I under the direction of Bill Henry. For the competition, Jacob will perform Miles Davis’ “E.S.P.”; John Coltrane’s “Naima”; and Chick Corea’s “Armando's Rhumba.”
-
Elizabeth Stoiaken, 17, a
senior at DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis, studies with area pianist/composer Laura Caviani. Around the Twin Cities she plays with the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band and has played for KBEM's Jazz Night Out. Her playlist will include Luis Bonfa’s “Black Orpheus”; Tadd Dameron’s “Lady Bird”;and Thelonious Monk’s “Straight No Chaser.”
-
Micah Fitch, 18, is a senior
at Minneapolis South High School where the jazz program is directed by Scott Carter. A former student of Nachito Herrera, Micah is a member of the Eggz quartet and will participate in the Twin Cities Youth Jazz Workshop this summer. For the competition, he will also perform Tadd Dameron’s “Lady Bird” as well as Bud Powell’s “Bouncing With Bud”; and Miles Davis’ “Blue in Green.”
The Competition All applicants submitted an audio tape or CD (maximum 30 minutes)
containing three
jazz tunes of their choosing; they were required to perform at least
one solo from whole or partial works, standards, self-composed, or
improvised. The three finalists will compete before a panel of judges
and a live audience at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant on
Sunday, April 24, 2005 from
2:00 - 4:00 pm.
For the finals, the same three pieces must be performed—one must be
a solo and one must be played with an ensemble provided by the
Competition, most likely a bassist and drummer. Each student is
limited to 20 minutes total for his or her final performance. The
judges will provide their critiques to the audience and finalists
after each performer, and the scholarship winners will be announced
at the end of the competition. The guest judges this year will
include noted area pianists Jeanne Arland Peterson and
Adi Yeshaya, and music educator Jerry Shelton.
The Sponsors The Dakota Foundation for Jazz
Education (J-Train) is a non-profit organization sponsored by
the Minneapolis-based Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant, dedicated to
bringing jazz and education together. Originated by Dakota co-owner
Lowell Pickett and benefactor, the late Jane Matteson, in 1997, the
J-Train provides Sunday afternoon concerts, seminars, and “Jazz
Dialogues” between students and musicians, at the Dakota, local
schools, and community sites; these activities are supported
by funding from COMPAS: Community Programs in the Arts. A
special J-Train activity this spring was the week-long residency of
the Brubeck Institute Sextet from Stockton, California, which
included clinics at area schools and two performances at the Dakota.
The
Schubert Clubis a
long-standing St. Paul organization dedicated to the promotion and
performance of classical music. Their annual International Concert
series is well-known for its roster of the very finest classical
musicians and ensembles. In August 2005, the Schubert
Club and The
Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education will
award the first annual Jane Matteson Award for notable contribution
to the local jazz community and/or jazz education. This collaboration between The Schubert Club and the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education has been extraordinarily successful, in large part due to the coordination and expertise provided by Leif Larsen of The Schubert Club staff. John Froelich, music educator and supporter of the arts, provided the idea (a jazz piano scholarship for ages 16-18 in memory of his mother), inspiration, and initial support to create this annual competition. An expanded competition is expected for next year, as at least three interested 15-year-olds will meet the age requirement in 2006!
Support the Future of Jazz! The Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition
finals are free and open to the public. This is a golden opportunity
to see the future of Minnesota—and maybe national—jazz. The Twin
Cities area is known for its school and community jazz programs, as
well as for its vast well of piano jazz talent. Come see tomorrow’s
stars today and support jazz education!
The finals will be held from 2-4 pm
at the Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, downtown Minneapolis;
612-332-1010; www.dakotacooks.com |
Home | CD Reviews | Interviews | SF Bay Area | Chicago | Los Angeles | New York | Twin Cities, MN | More Cities | Festivals | FAQ | News | Contact | Video of the Week | 
Saturday, 11 October 2008
