Midwest Festivals
SMV Real Group Festival – Creston, IA (November)
Star Struck – Waukee, IA (January )
Valley Vocal Jazz Summit – West Des Moines, IA (January)
Mo Show Festival – Cedar Rapids, IA (February)
Millikin University Vocal Jazz Festival – Decatur, IL (February)
Solon Vocal Jazz Festival – Solon, IA (February)
Kirkwood Vocal Jazz Festival – Cedar Rapids, IA (February)
New York Voices Jazz Festival – Skokie, IL (March)
SMV saje Festival – Creston, IA (March)
Gold Company Invitational Vocal Jazz Festival – Kalamazoo, MI (March)
UWMC Vocal Jazz Festival – Wausau, WI (April)
Star Struck – Waukee, IA (January )
Valley Vocal Jazz Summit – West Des Moines, IA (January)
Mo Show Festival – Cedar Rapids, IA (February)
Millikin University Vocal Jazz Festival – Decatur, IL (February)
Solon Vocal Jazz Festival – Solon, IA (February)
Kirkwood Vocal Jazz Festival – Cedar Rapids, IA (February)
New York Voices Jazz Festival – Skokie, IL (March)
SMV saje Festival – Creston, IA (March)
Gold Company Invitational Vocal Jazz Festival – Kalamazoo, MI (March)
UWMC Vocal Jazz Festival – Wausau, WI (April)
Vocal Jazz Organizations/Resources
Jazz Education Network
Jazz Education Network is a membership-based educational and performance nonprofit founded in 2008, dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance and developing new audiences.
Anchor Music
Anchor Music Publications is the most unique vocal jazz publishing site in the world – with the widest variety of composers, arrangers, and charts. This site is also a great resource for information on national and regional festivals as well as educational workshop for both students and educators.
Hal Leonard Music
One of the nations largest resources for contemporary and jazz music: lead sheets for solos, vocal/big band arrangements as well as SATB arrangements.
UNC Jazz Press
A great resource for older arrangements from arrangers like Clare Fischer, Ward Swingle, Kirby Shaw, etc…
Jazz Education Network is a membership-based educational and performance nonprofit founded in 2008, dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance and developing new audiences.
Anchor Music
Anchor Music Publications is the most unique vocal jazz publishing site in the world – with the widest variety of composers, arrangers, and charts. This site is also a great resource for information on national and regional festivals as well as educational workshop for both students and educators.
Hal Leonard Music
One of the nations largest resources for contemporary and jazz music: lead sheets for solos, vocal/big band arrangements as well as SATB arrangements.
UNC Jazz Press
A great resource for older arrangements from arrangers like Clare Fischer, Ward Swingle, Kirby Shaw, etc…
Summer Workshops (many for both students and educators)
The Jazz Harmony Retreat – Creston, IA (summer, multiple dates/cities)
For 15 years, the Jazz Harmony Retreat has been a hands-on training week in jazz harmony for educators and qualifying college students. With a very small student/teacher ratio, the faculty (which includes Dr. Justin Binek as well as Dr. Jeremy Fox) will offer you a brand new harmonic awareness. The camp includes: Jazz Theory, Vocal Jazz Arranging, Jazz Piano, and Recording Studio Production. At the end of the week, you will have written your own vocal jazz chart! You will also be able to play a jazz song on the piano in whatever manner you wish. A safe and friendly environment, participants will be split up into different experience levels, and all experience levels are welcome.
New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp – Kalamazoo, MI (July 29-Aug 4)
The New York Voices created this camp 16 years ago with the jazz vocalist in mind looking who is looking to expand their knowledge and grow their creative garden. The individual members of NYV share their vast experience as educators, performers, producers, arrangers and songwriters with YOU in this exciting six-day musical immersion. This unique camp is open to high school and college students, professional musicians, choral directors and anyone interested in improving and developing their knowledge of the vocal jazz genre. Kim Nazarian, Lauren Kinhan, Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge, and the rest of the faculty will work with the students in their assigned ensembles as well as in the wide variety of electives, one on one coaching and other special events offered to deepen the understanding of practising the art of vocal jazz.
Vocal Jazz Academy – Multiple Cities (year round)
The Vocal Jazz Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by an Executive Board (Christine Guter, president) that is committed to promoting vocal jazz education through workshops and other events. The organization also offers a version of the Academy Workshop called the Director’s Summit. This one-day teacher training workshop can be built for educators in your immediate area. A Director’s Summit can be delivered face to face, or over Zoom. All Academy Workshops and Director’s Summits can be hosted at any location in the United States, Canada, or around the world.
For 15 years, the Jazz Harmony Retreat has been a hands-on training week in jazz harmony for educators and qualifying college students. With a very small student/teacher ratio, the faculty (which includes Dr. Justin Binek as well as Dr. Jeremy Fox) will offer you a brand new harmonic awareness. The camp includes: Jazz Theory, Vocal Jazz Arranging, Jazz Piano, and Recording Studio Production. At the end of the week, you will have written your own vocal jazz chart! You will also be able to play a jazz song on the piano in whatever manner you wish. A safe and friendly environment, participants will be split up into different experience levels, and all experience levels are welcome.
New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp – Kalamazoo, MI (July 29-Aug 4)
The New York Voices created this camp 16 years ago with the jazz vocalist in mind looking who is looking to expand their knowledge and grow their creative garden. The individual members of NYV share their vast experience as educators, performers, producers, arrangers and songwriters with YOU in this exciting six-day musical immersion. This unique camp is open to high school and college students, professional musicians, choral directors and anyone interested in improving and developing their knowledge of the vocal jazz genre. Kim Nazarian, Lauren Kinhan, Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge, and the rest of the faculty will work with the students in their assigned ensembles as well as in the wide variety of electives, one on one coaching and other special events offered to deepen the understanding of practising the art of vocal jazz.
Vocal Jazz Academy – Multiple Cities (year round)
The Vocal Jazz Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by an Executive Board (Christine Guter, president) that is committed to promoting vocal jazz education through workshops and other events. The organization also offers a version of the Academy Workshop called the Director’s Summit. This one-day teacher training workshop can be built for educators in your immediate area. A Director’s Summit can be delivered face to face, or over Zoom. All Academy Workshops and Director’s Summits can be hosted at any location in the United States, Canada, or around the world.
Questions?
Please contact the Chair of Vocal Jazz R&R.