NEC Students, Alumni Score "Down Beat" Awards
For immediate release:
May 3, 2006
From a 13-year old phenomenon to three college freshmen, a graduate student, and two seasoned alumni leading school programs, New England Conservatory made an impressive showing in the 2006 Down Beat Magazine Awards announced May 1.
Quadruple threat Grace Kelly, 13, won in four different categories in the junior high school division. Roland R. Davis, a Master’s degree candidate was honored in both Jazz Soloist and Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist categories. Jeffrey Leonard and Bart Marantz ’77 M.M., both NEC trained, were recognized for their work leading jazz groups at Lexington (MA) High School and Booker T. Washington High School of Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas (TX). Freshman duo Omer Klein, piano (who studies jazz and classical piano with Danilo Perez and Alexander Korsantia), and Haggai Cohen-Milo, double bass (who studies with John Lockwood and Cecil McBee), were College Co-Winners for best Jazz Group while Alex Brown, another jazz/classical pianist who studies with Perez and Veronica Jochum, was honored for Jazz Arrangement.
Down Beat is one of the premiere jazz magazines published in America and is aimed at students, amateurs, professional musicians and educators involved in jazz, rock, blues and electronic idioms. Its annual awards have been dubbed the “educational Grammys� because of their prestige, widespread exposure, and certification of excellence.
Details of NEC’s Awards follow:
Grace Kelly
NEC Prep student (b. 5/19/92)
She studies saxophone with Jeremy Udden, voice with Rebecca Shrimpton, ensemble with Rick McLaughlin
recognized in FOUR categories
1) Jazz Soloist / Junior High School Co-Winner (one of two co-winners)
2) Jazz Vocalist / Junior High School Outstanding Performance (sole honoree)
3) Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist / Junior High School Winner (sole winner)
4) Original Song (for Fast Metabolism) / Junior High School Winner (sole winner)
Roland R. Davis
2nd-year Master’s degree student, completing a double degree in jazz composition and jazz performance. Student of Frank Carlberg, Joe Morris, and (through Continuing Education) James Stewardson and David Zoffer
1) Jazz Soloist / College Outstanding Performance (one of five honored)
2) Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist / College Outstanding Performance (one of two honored)
Jeffrey Leonard, band director
Lexington (MA) High School Jazz Combo
Leonard studied music education at NEC 1990 through 1997.
Jazz Group / High School Co-Winner (one of two co-winners)
Bart Marantz ’77 M.M., director of jazz studies
Jazz Combo I and The DS Trio, Booker T. Washington High School of Performing and Visual Arts, Dallas, TX
Jazz Group / Performing Arts High School Outstanding Performance (two of four honored)
“The Duet� (Omer Klein, piano and Haggai Cohen-Milo, double bass)
Both are freshmen B.M. students, Klein’s teachers are Danilo Perez/Alexander Korsantia, Cohen-Milo’s teachers are Cecil McBee/John Lockwood.
Jazz Group / College Co-Winner (one of two co-winners)
Alex Brown for Kol Han’shama
Freshman B.M. piano student studying with Danilo Perez/Veronica Jochum
Jazz Arrangement / College Outstanding Performance (one of five honored)
For more information, visit NEC on the web at http://www.newenglandconservatory.edu/degrees/majors/jazz.html
http://www.newenglandconservatory.edu/prep/programs/certificate.html#jazz
ABOUT NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY
Recognized nationally and internationally as a leader among music schools, New England Conservatory offers rigorous training in an intimate, nurturing community to 750 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral music students from around the world. Its faculty of 225 boasts internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. Its alumni go on to fill orchestra chairs, concert hall stages, jazz clubs, recording studios, and arts management positions worldwide. Nearly half of the Boston Symphony Orchestra is composed of NEC trained musicians and faculty.
The oldest independent school of music in the United States, NEC was founded in 1867 by Eben Tourjee. Its curriculum is remarkable for its wide range of styles and traditions. On the college level, it features training in classical, jazz, Contemporary Improvisation, world and early music. Through its Preparatory School, School of Continuing Education, and Community Collaboration Programs, it provides training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, adults, and seniors. Through its outreach projects, it allows young musicians to engage with non-traditional audiences in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes—thereby bringing pleasure to new listeners and enlarging the universe for classical music and jazz.
NEC presents more than 600 free concerts each year, many of them in Jordan Hall, its world- renowned, 100-year old, beautifully restored concert hall. These programs range from solo recitals to chamber music to orchestral programs to jazz and opera scenes. Every year, NEC’s opera studies department also presents two fully staged opera productions at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston.
NEC is co-founder and educational partner of “From the Top,� a weekly radio program that celebrates outstanding young classical musicians from the entire country. With its broadcast home in Jordan Hall, the show is now carried by National Public Radio and is heard on 250 stations throughout the United States.
Contact: Ellen Pfeifer
Public Relations Manager
New England Conservatory
617-585-1143
epfeifer@newenglandconservatory.edu