Vocal Jazz Choir
Grades: 9-12 (with collegiate section leaders)
Dates: Thursday and Friday, January 7-8, 2027 (Registration 9:00 am on Thursday, Concert at 7:30 pm on Friday)
Location: Eau Claire, WI (Rehearsals at Lismore Hotel, Concert at Pablo Center)
Coordinator: Tim Buchholz vocaljazzallstate@wischoral.org
Nominations:
WCDA will create a select ensemble of 14-18 of the best vocal jazz singers in the state, grades 9-12 with collegiate section leaders, to present an exceptional program of vocal jazz literature at the all-state performance in January. Each director may submit up to 8 singers through the online nomination form. Each student applicant must also submit an audio audition via .mp3, .m4a, or an unlisted YouTube video. The All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble has spots for four collegiate section leaders (one per section) to join this all-state group. College applicants follow the same audition procedure as high school applicants by receiving a nomination from their director and sending in two recordings. College participants are responsible for their own lodging during the convention. See audition details below.
Nomination Form: Nominations open September 1.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE HIGH SCHOOL SINGERS
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE COLLEGIATE SECTION LEADERS
Audition Process for Students:
Audition information coming soon…
Registration Fees:
$335 for high school singers
$225 for collegiate section leaders (does not include housing or meals)
Guest Conductor-Clinician: Kathryn Paradise
Kathryn Paradise joined Belmont University in the fall of 2007 as a full time Instructor of Commercial Voice. Paradise earned both the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Studio Music and Jazz Vocal Performance from the University of Miami, working as a teaching assistant under Professor Larry Lapin. While in Florida, she received DownBeat Magazine’s student award for Outstanding Solo Jazz Vocal Performance as well as numerous student DownBeat awards for her work in Jazz Vocal I. After leaving the University of Miami, Ms. Paradise resided in Burlington, Vermont where she taught voice at St. Michael’s College, Johnson State College and the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts. Since her teaching appointment at Belmont University, Paradise has received certification in Somatic Voicework™ The Lovetri Method from the Institute of Contemporary Commercial Music in Voice Pedagogy. She has also completed training in Vocology with Dr. Ingo Titze at the National Center for Voice and Speech. Paradise has directed Belmont’s jazz vocal ensemble, Jazzmin, since 2008 and during that time the ensemble has won five student DownBeat awards, appeared on National Public Television and performed at the Jazz Education Network’s Conference in Dallas, TX. In addition to directing Jazzmin, Paradise also teaches undergraduate and graduate level Applied Commercial Voice, classes in jazz vocal styles and graduate vocal improvisation and commercial voice pedagogy. While continuing to teach full-time at Belmont University, she is completing the Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She has also continued to have a successful career as a performing artist, including appearances with Kurt Elling, Kevin Mahogany, Elaine Elias, Carmen Lundy, Claudia Acuna, John Pizzarelli and Will Lee and inclusion on Putumayo’s International release, Women of Jazz. Kate's last full-length studio album, You Stepped Out of a Dream, was released in 2006.
2027 Repertoire: Coming soon…
Dates: Thursday and Friday, January 7-8, 2027 (Registration 9:00 am on Thursday, Concert at 7:30 pm on Friday)
Location: Eau Claire, WI (Rehearsals at Lismore Hotel, Concert at Pablo Center)
Coordinator: Tim Buchholz vocaljazzallstate@wischoral.org
Nominations:
WCDA will create a select ensemble of 14-18 of the best vocal jazz singers in the state, grades 9-12 with collegiate section leaders, to present an exceptional program of vocal jazz literature at the all-state performance in January. Each director may submit up to 8 singers through the online nomination form. Each student applicant must also submit an audio audition via .mp3, .m4a, or an unlisted YouTube video. The All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble has spots for four collegiate section leaders (one per section) to join this all-state group. College applicants follow the same audition procedure as high school applicants by receiving a nomination from their director and sending in two recordings. College participants are responsible for their own lodging during the convention. See audition details below.
Nomination Form: Nominations open September 1.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE HIGH SCHOOL SINGERS
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE COLLEGIATE SECTION LEADERS
Audition Process for Students:
Audition information coming soon…
Registration Fees:
$335 for high school singers
$225 for collegiate section leaders (does not include housing or meals)
Guest Conductor-Clinician: Kathryn Paradise
Kathryn Paradise joined Belmont University in the fall of 2007 as a full time Instructor of Commercial Voice. Paradise earned both the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Studio Music and Jazz Vocal Performance from the University of Miami, working as a teaching assistant under Professor Larry Lapin. While in Florida, she received DownBeat Magazine’s student award for Outstanding Solo Jazz Vocal Performance as well as numerous student DownBeat awards for her work in Jazz Vocal I. After leaving the University of Miami, Ms. Paradise resided in Burlington, Vermont where she taught voice at St. Michael’s College, Johnson State College and the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts. Since her teaching appointment at Belmont University, Paradise has received certification in Somatic Voicework™ The Lovetri Method from the Institute of Contemporary Commercial Music in Voice Pedagogy. She has also completed training in Vocology with Dr. Ingo Titze at the National Center for Voice and Speech. Paradise has directed Belmont’s jazz vocal ensemble, Jazzmin, since 2008 and during that time the ensemble has won five student DownBeat awards, appeared on National Public Television and performed at the Jazz Education Network’s Conference in Dallas, TX. In addition to directing Jazzmin, Paradise also teaches undergraduate and graduate level Applied Commercial Voice, classes in jazz vocal styles and graduate vocal improvisation and commercial voice pedagogy. While continuing to teach full-time at Belmont University, she is completing the Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She has also continued to have a successful career as a performing artist, including appearances with Kurt Elling, Kevin Mahogany, Elaine Elias, Carmen Lundy, Claudia Acuna, John Pizzarelli and Will Lee and inclusion on Putumayo’s International release, Women of Jazz. Kate's last full-length studio album, You Stepped Out of a Dream, was released in 2006.
2027 Repertoire: Coming soon…
