I'm taking a short break from my plethora of papers and projects (seriously, do teachers get together, laugh evily for a minute, and decide to assign papers to be due all in the same week and a half?) to bring you this very exciting news. I've actually known for a while, but the reality is finally sinking in!

My vocal group has won a spot at the presitgious IAJE festival!!! That's "International Association of Jazz Education" and they throw one heck of a party, let me tell ya! It's in mid-January (burrr), in NEW YORK CITY!!!! and tons of the hottest jazz artists from all over the world will be there to perform and teach in clinics. My vocal group from school will be performing with this amazing Chicago vocalist (who just happens to be my voice teacher). We're sure to get a big audience, because my teacher recently released her first album on Blue Note- that's huge, people. HUGE! But that's not the best part...

We could be singing one of my arrangements!!!!!!!

I absolutely love arranging and have worked extremely hard at it these past couple years. We've been rehearsing my piece and it looks like it could be ready in time....so please send prayers and Force-filled thoughts my way! I'm so proud of this particular arrangement, because it's the first one I ever completed for an a cappella vocal jazz ensemble and I put every bit of my heart and soul into it. I can't even imagine what would happen if my arrangement was heard by hundreds of people, but it can only be good!

No SW in this blog...let's fix that:

"A Jazzer's strength flows from the chord changes. But beware of the altered scale."

"The ability to destroy a tune is insignificant next to the power of improvisation."

"I cannot teach him. The boy has no technique."

"I'll never turn to the classical side. I am a jazz cat, like my teacher before me."

"We're flat!"

"Fear will keep the local cats in line. Fear of the 11th scale degree."

"I am altering the 9th. Pray I don't alter it any further."

"Play! You musician scum!"

"Watch your pitch. This tune can be a little sharp."

"Thank the Composer!"


Forcefully,
JP