 2006 Finalists with Jeanne Arland Peterson © Andrea Canter The Jazz Piano Competition was inaugurated in 2005, with the awarding of three $500 scholarships-- The Marie Froelich Memorial Award, The Jane Matteson Memorial Award, and The David Paulus Memorial Award. Last spring, three finalists were again awarded $500 scholarships—Joel Friedman, Jacob Wittenberg and Javier Santiago. Following their final performances at the Dakota Jazz Club, Javier was awarded the additional $500 Performance Scholarship. In addition to the scholarships, the top pianist will perform at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival in June, and at concerts through the Schubert Club’s Courtroom Series and the Dakota Jazz Club.
The Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education, known as the “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 I 1997 by Dakota co-owner Lowell Pickett and benefactor, the late Jane Matteson, J-Train provides jazz education opportunities and free concert performances at the Dakota that encourage an understanding, appreciation and enthusiasm for jazz among young audiences and blooming musicians. Seminars are provided by some of the world’s best musicians and young bands have the opportunity to perform with and learn from the masters. A highlight of 2006 was the residency of Los Angeles area high school musicians through the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Studies’ (University of Southern California) Peer to Peer Jazz Education program, including clinics in schools throughout the Twin Cities and performance with alto sax titan Bobby Watson at the Dakota. This past fall, the Dakota Foundation and MacPhail Center for Music joined together to sponsor the first-ever Dakota Combo, our own Twin Cities ensemble of high school allstars. In 2005, The Dakota Foundation granted its first annual Jane Matteson Award for notable contribution to the local jazz communuty and/or jazz education. The Schubert Club is 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. Additionally, the Schubert Club hosts small series of concerts throughout the year and, through several scholarship programs, promotes the education and performance opportunities for future professional musicians. The Scholarship Competition
Young jazz pianists, age 15-18 as of May 20, 2007, are encouraged to complete the application for this competition. Competitors must submit an audio tape or CD containing three jazz tunes of their choosing to the Schubert Club Office by noon on April 16. Finalists will be selected from the submitted recordings and notified by May 1. The three finalists will compete before a panel of judges and a live audience at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant on Sunday, May 20, 2007 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. (All applicants must be available to perform on May 20th.) Judges will blindly evaluate the performances and rank competitors to select three finalists. Finalists will be notified by May 1st. The final judging will be conducted by a panel of three judges who will provide their critiques to the audience and finalists after each performer. The scholarship winners will be announced at the end of the competition.  2006 Winner, Javier Santiago © Andrea Canter Rules: Highlights Literature. Three jazz songs;the selected songs can be whole or partial compositions, jazz standards, self-composed works or improvised. Performance. For the submitted sound recording, the three songs may be solo, accompanied or a mix of solo and accompanied, at the competitor’s discretion. For Finals performances, the competitors must perform the same three songs that they submitted on their sound recording. For finals at least one piece must performed solo and at least one piece must be played with the provided ensemble (most likely a drummer and bassist). It is strongly recommended that performers choose pieces of contrasting style and tone. Performance time. Submitted sound recording should be no longer than 30 minutes total. Finals performances will be limited to 20 minutes. Sound recording requirements. Competitors must submit a sound recording of the three jazz songs. Recording may be in the following formats: CD, cassette, DAT. Video recordings are not accepted. Label the outside of the CD or tape case with your name. Do not put your name on the CD or tape itself. Your submitted CD or tape will not be returned. Sound recordings must be no longer than 30 minutes in length. Recordings of each song must be of the complete song and the recording of each song cannot be edited in any way. Songs intended to be performed with bass and drum accompaniment at Finals do not have to be recorded with accompaniment for purposes of the sound recording. Applicant must attest that the submitted sound recording is of the applicant’s piano performance and that the songs have not been edited in any way. Submission of the recording of any other piano player or an edited recording will result in immediate disqualification.  2006 Judges--Lee Blaske, Jeanne Arland Peterson and Nachito Herrera © Andrea CAnter Finals. Check in with the registration desk at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant by 1:30 p.m. on May 20, 2007. Performers must provide a list of their three Finals songs in the order they intend to play them and indicating which piece(s) will be with the ensemble when they check in. Performance order will be determined by a random draw, the procedure of which will be decided by Competition officials. The Finals are a public event and competitors will perform in front of an audience. The competitor may briefly try out the keyboard prior to performing. There is no rehearsal with the ensemble players. Judging. The Finals will be judged by three judges. The judges will give their critiques, in front of the audience and competitors, immediately following each competitor’s performances. Finalist scholarships will be awarded at the Finals following the final competitor’s performance. All finalists must be present for the announcement of the winners. For a rule sheet and complete application information, please see The Schubert Club website: http://www.schubert.orgFor questions please contact Jason Kudrna at The Schubert Club,
651-292-3267 or at
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Wednesday, 03 December 2008
