VoicesIowa

On May 12th, the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church near downtown Minneapolis will host one of the nation’s premier vocal jazz groups, VoicesIowa. Recently named DownBeat’s Vocal Jazz Group of the Year, the ensemble will present selections from their new recording,  “Songs of Love,” under the direction of Grammy nominee and leading vocal jazz educator Phil Mattson. Twin Cities audiences might recall VoicesIowa from their summer 2007 performance honoring Duke Ellington at HAUM.  

VoicesIowa includes six students and alumni of the Southwestern Community College School for Music Vocations in Creston, IA. Phil Mattson created the curriculum for the School, and directs the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and VoicesIowa in addition to classroom teaching. Previsouly, Mattson taught at Pacific Lutheran University (WA), served as Director of Choral Activities at Foothill College (CA) and Gonzaga University (WA), and created the Phil Mattson School for Vocal Musicians in Spokane (WA), leading the Grammy-nominated P.M. Singers. Mr. Mattson has published more than 70 choral and vocal jazz arrangements and compositions and has been nominated twice for Grammy awards for arrangements and performance. Each summer, Mattson directs the Phil Mattson Vocal Jazz/Choral Workshops in the US and Canada, and each February heads the Southwestern Vocal Jazz Festival. He is active as a conductor, pianist, arranger and clinician, and writes for professional vocal groups including the Four Freshmen, the Real Group, Chanticleer, Beachfront Property, the Dale Warland Singers and Manhattan Transfer.

Phil Mattson

The program on May 12th is eclectic, with pieces from Hindemith, Ellington, Joplin, Bacharach, McFerrin, Strayhorn, Mercer, Berlin and more.

If you love vocal jazz and particularly choral settings of this music, don’t miss VoicesIowa, performing at 7:30 pm on Monday, May 12th in the Art Gallery of HAUM, at the Lyndale Avenue exit of I-94 West (Groveland Avenue); 612-871-5303. Donation of $10 suggested. Map and directions at www.haum.org  
 

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