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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