Finalists announced for the First Annual Charles Mingus High School Competition

Finalists announced for the First Annual Charles Mingus High School Competition

New York, NY ­ January 15, 2009 ­

Sue Mingus of Let My Children Hear Music and Justin DiCioccio of The Manhattan School of Music are pleased to announce the finalists in the First Annual Charles Mingus High School Competition.

The finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

BIG BAND CATEGORY

Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, Rochester NY. Band Director: Howard Potter

Gates Chili High School Jazz Ensemble, Rochester NY. Band Director: Christopher Oldfield

LaGuardia Senior Jazz Band, New York, NY, Band Director:  Kevin Blancq

Lexington High School Jazz Ensemble, Lexington, MA. Band Director, Jeffrey Leonard

Rivers Big Band, The Rivers School, Weston, MA. Band Director: Philippe Crettien

COMBO CATEGORY

Jazz Ensemble 3, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Hartford, CT. Band Directors: Kris Allen and Jimmy Greene

King Phillip Regional High School Jazz Combo 1, Wrentham, MA. Band Directors: Peter Levesque and Peter Tileson

LaGuardia High School Jazz Quintet, New York, NY. Band Director:  Kevin Blancq

Manasia Improv Ensemble, Manhattan School of Music Precollege, New York, NY. Band Director: Jeremy Manasia

Rivers Select 1 Combo, The Rivers School, Weston, MA. Band Director: Philippe Crettien

The Mingus High School Competition will take place on February 22, 2009, as the final event of the three-day Mingus Summit at Manhattan School of Music in New York City.  All events are free and open to the public. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Best Big Band, Best Combo, Outstanding Soloists, Outstanding Big Band Section, and Outstanding Combo Arrangement. We are also pleased to announce the surprise news that two scholarships to Manhattan School of Music will be awarded at the Competition.Next year’s Competition will be open to high schools nationwide. Details will be announced soon in order to allow plenty of time in the spring and summer for preparation.Our adjudicators were impressed by the high quality of the submissions and thrilled to hear Mingus music played with such heart and commitment. We are all very excited to see Mingus energy thriving and inspiring these young musicians.Sue MingusJustin DiCioccio

MINGUS SUMMIT AND HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION SCHEDULEFRIDAY, Feb 20, 2009        7:30pm-9pm        MINGUS SUMMIT

Manhattan School of Music122nd Street & Broadway, NYC

Greenfield Hall

Keynote Address by conductor Gunther Schuller

Panel Discussion moderated by Schuller with Manhattan School of Music head Justin DiCioccio, altoist and educator Vincent Herring, and trombone virtuoso and educator Conrad Herwig, bassist Boris Kozlov, and Sue Mingus, President of Let My Children Hear Music (The Charles Mingus Institute) and creator of the repertory bands. Free and open to the public.

SATURDAY, Feb 21, 2009    7:30pm-9:30pm     MINGUS SUMMIT

Manhattan School of Music122nd

Street & Broadway, NYC

Borden Auditorium

Performance by Manhattan School of Music Combo, featuring guest soloist and director Steve Slagle from the Mingus Big Band. Free and open to the public.SUNDAY, Feb 22, 2009     10am-7pm     

MINGUS HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION Manhattan School of Music 122nd Street & Broadway, NYC

John C Borden Auditorium

Free and open to the public.Adjudicators for the Competition: Conrad Herwig, Gunther Schuller, Boris Kozlov, Vincent Herring, Justin DiCioccio, and more.

10am-11:30am COMBO COMPETITION ­ 3 bands

11:30am-11:45am SHORT BREAK

11:45am-12:45pm COMBO COMPETITION ­ 2 bands

12:45pm-2pm LUNCH BREAK

2pm-3:30pm BIG BAND COMPETITION ­ 3 bands

3:30pm-3:45pm SHORT BREAK3:45pm-5pm BIG BAND COMPETITION ­ 2 bands

5pm PERFORMANCE by the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra, conducted by Justin DiCioccio.

5:30pm PERFORMANCE by Mingus Dynasty featuring Boris Kozlov (playing Charles Mingus’ lionhead bass), Vincent Herring, Conrad Herwig, Donny McCaslin, Justin Faulkner (high school drummer from Girard Academic Music Program in Philadelphia), Alex Sipiagin, Helen Sung, and more.6pm-7pm AWARDS ceremony and goodbyes.MONDAY, February 23         SETS AT 7:30 & 9:30         MINGUS DYNASTY

Jazz Standard

116 East 27th btw Park & LexNew York, NY 212-576-2232Alto/flute: Vincent Herring, Tenor Saxophone: Seamus Blake, Trumpet: Alex Sipiagin, Trombone: Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Bass: Boris Kozlov, Piano:  David Kikoski, Drums:  Jeff "Tain" Watts.Contact:Sue MingusLet My Children Hear Music484 West 43rd Street, 43-S, New York, NY 10036(212) 736-4749   Fax (212) 736-6149

http://www.mingusmingusmingus.com/JazzEducation

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