Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education

News

2011-2012 Dakota Combo©Andrea Canter

1/6/12

DFJE Jazz Artists in the Schools

In spring 2010, the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education was awarded a grant of approximately $8,000 from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) to bring jazz artists/educators into selected schools during the 2011-2012 school year. The mission of the project is two-fold: to enhance technical and artistic skills of students already participating in school jazz programs, and to introduce students in the general school population to jazz music as a means of building future audiences and inspiring students to consider jazz as an outlet for self-expression.

The JAIS grant from MRAC is funded, in part, by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

A number of JAIS projects are already underway, with more to follow!

Roseville Area High School:

Bassist Chris Bates will lead a Rhythm Section Clinic at the Roseville Area High School with Jazz 1 and Jazz Combo members on January 9, 6-9pm and again in March, 6-9pm. The clinics will help the Roseville Area High School Jazz Band rehearse and prepare for UW-LaCrosse Jazz Festival on January 21 and the Eau Claire Jazz Festival, March 29-April 1, 2012.

South High School:

Minneapolis South High School presents its annual Singer Showcase on January 19th (7 pm) featuring South High Jazz Ensemble I and South Pop Singers with special guest, Connie Evingson. With support from a Jazz Artists in the Schools grant from the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education, local jazz vocalist/educator Rhonda Laurie has provided coaching to both student singers and the jazz ensemble in preparation for the concert.

Minneapolis Roosevelt High School

Saxophonist Amber Woodhouse (an alum of the first Dakota Combo and 2010 graduate of the Berklee College of Music) is working with band director Tom Wells to prepare the jazz ensemble students for their school concert on January 19th.

Stillwater Area High School

On January 30, Stillwater Area High School will host its annual High School Jazz Festival with guest artist/clinician Randy Ingram. The festival will include a series of clinics presented by Dean Sorenson and other jazz faculty from the University of Minnesota. Six high school jazz ensembles from the east metro area will participate in the day-long festival, clinics and evening concert.

12/2/2011 Dakota Combo alums take the stage this December

It's a great season to hear these young jazz artists!

Thursday, December 22, noon

Quentin Tschofen (piano) plays in The Schubert Club Courtroom Concert series. Quentin was part of the Dakota Combo in 2009-2011 and twice was a scholarship winner in the Schubert Club/Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education jazz piano competition. He has attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire this fall and will enroll in the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City in January.

Thursday, December 15, 7 pm

Emerson Hunton (drums, Combo 2011) leads his trio as part of the TCJS Young Artists Series at the Artists' Quarter . Emerson is a senior at Minneapolis South High School. His trio includes Brad Allen (Combo 2011) on saxophones, a graduate of Minnetonka High School who is enrolled at Northwestern University, and Sam Wildenauer (Combo 2012) on bass, a senior at South.

Sunday, December 4, 5 pm

Zosha Warpeha (violin), will be the student guest artist for the PipJazz Sunday concert at Weyerhauser Auditorium at Landmark Center, 5 pm. Zosha (Combo 2010) currently attends Perpich Center for the Arts. She will play two pieces with the PipJazz Band.

November Events

11/4/11. Dakota Combo at the Jungle Theater, November 6

The November 6th concert in the Jazz at the Jungle series, hosted by Connie Evingson, celebrates Three Generations-- local jazz artists from 23 to 81. Young Trevor Haining on drums will be on stage with pianist Tanner Taylor, bassist Gordy Johnson, vocalist Connie Evingson and 81-year-old saxophonist Dave Karr. The high school ensemble Dakota Combo, ranging in age from 15-17, will make a special appearance at each show, 4 pm and 7:30 pm, playing a couple of tunes including an original by trumpeter Joe Suihkonen. Tickets ($25, $10 students) are available from the Jungle Theater Box office (www.jungletheater.com). The Jungle Theater is located at 2951 Lyndale Av South in Minneapolis.

9/16/11. Sixth Edition of the Dakota Combo Announced Following Auditions

The 2011-2012 edition of the Dakota Combo was announced last week by director Adam Linz, following open auditions. A MacPhail Center of Music ensemble supported through funding from the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education, the Combo program began in fall 2006 to provide intensive learning and performance opportunities for the area’s top high school jazz musicians.

During the 2011-2012 school year, the Dakota Combo will rehearse biweekly with Linz at MacPhail and perform frequently, including on the stage of the Dakota Jazz Club, as part of MacPhail’s “Jazz Thursdays” concert series (May 2012), at the Artists Quarter as part of the Twin Cities Jazz Society’s Young Artists Series (spring 2012), at the 2012 Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and at other venues and events. Students will also visit area schools (winter 2012) and participate in clinics and workshops, including a Master Class with nationally renowned drummer Matt Slocum (October 2011) and a “Combo Festival” at MacPhail (April 2012).

The student musicians of the Dakota Combo for 2011-2012 :

Joshua Jones, saxophone, Minneapolis Southwest HS
Samuel Roberto, saxophone, Pine City HS
Thomas Strommen, saxophone, Wayzata HS
Joe Suihkonen, trumpet, Minneapolis South HS
Patrick Adkins, piano, Edina HS
Sam Wildenauer, bass, Minneapolis South HS
Henry Misa, drums, Avalon School (St. Paul)

8/12/11. Dakota Combo 2010-2011, Final Performance August 20^th

The 2010-2011 edition of the Dakota Combo will perform their last gig at the Burnsville Art and All That Jazz Festival on August 20^th at Noon. The festival takes places at Nicollet Commons Park (126^th and Nicollet Av) in Burnsville. Six of the eight Combo students graduated from high school in June and will begin college studies this fall in programs at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Northwestern University, Columbia University and the New England Conservatory of Music.

8/1/11. Dakota Combo 2011-2012 Auditions, September 10^th

Open auditions for the 2011-2012 edition of the Dakota Combo will be held from 12:30-4:30 pm at the MacPhail Center for Music (501 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis). Serious jazz students in grades 9-12 are invited to audition. Under the direction of Adam Linz, the Combo will rehearse biweekly throughout the school year; will perform at area venues and summer festivals; will tour area schools; attend clinics; and more. Up to eight students will be selected for the ensemble. For information about the Combo and the auditions, contact Adam Linz .

5/4/11. 2011 Jazz Piano Scholarships Announced

The 2011 Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition performance finals, scheduled for May 15, has been canceled. However, Schubert Club and DFJE are happy to announce the awarding of three scholarships:

2011 Jane Matteson Scholarship Award

Nicholas Lee (18, 12^th grade), Randolph High School, Randolph, NJ. Teacher: Donald Vega, Bronx, NY

2011 David Paulus Scholarship Award

Sterling Overshown (17, 11^th grade), High School for Performing and Visual Arts, Houston, TX. Teacher: Warren Sneed, Houston, TX

2011 Marie Froelich Scholarship Award

Quentin Tschofen (17, 12^th grade), Spring Lake Park Lighthouse Program/University of Minnesota Post Secondary Education Options, Spring Lake Park, MN. Teacher: Bryan Nichols

The Jazz Piano Showcase at the 2011 Twin Cities Jazz Festival will be held on the DFJE Youth Stage on June 25, 4:30 pm, featuring 2010-2011 winner Quentin Tschofen and 2009 winner Joe Strachan (Northfield, U of M)

5/1/11. Dakota Combo in Final Jazz Thursdays Concert at MacPhail, May 12

The Dakota Combo directed by Adam Linz will perform in the last Jazz Thursdays concert of the season on the Antonello Hall stage at the MacPhail Center for Music on May 12, 8 pm. Curated by Linz, the Jazz Thursdays series annually presents 4-6 evenings of modern jazz featuring (mostly) local artists. This past year, Jazz Thursdays presented four concerts of the music of Charles Mingus, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Throughout the year, the Dakota Combo also focused on the music of Mingus, and was one of 12 high school ensembles invited to participate in the annual Charles Mingus High School Band Festival and Competition, held in New York in February. The Dakota Combo received the Mingus Spirit Award at the competition and members performed as guest artists at the March 24^th Jazz Thursdays concert. Their program for May 12^th will include mostly Mingus compositions as well as some original works. Attendees are invited to remain for an informal reception following the concert. There is no admission charge for this event.

4/18/11. Dakota Combo Announces School Tour, Final Performances

The Dakota Combo will make its annual tour of area schools on April 29^th. This year the band will visit the jazz programs at Stillwater Area High School and Roseville High School, playing works of Mingus and original compositions, and jamming with students from host schools.

The Combo’s remaining performances for this season:

May 5, at the Artists Quarter in St Paul, 7 pm (no cover). The Combo performs as part of the Twin Cities Jazz Society’s Young Artists Series.
May 12, at Antonello Hall at the MacPhail Center for Music, 8 pm (no cover). The Combo performs in the last of the season’s Jazz Thursdays concert series.
June 25, on the DFJE Youth Stage on Prince Street, 7:15 pm, as part of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival (free).
July 16, on the DFJE Youth Stage on Nicollet Mall (near 11^th Street), approx. 4 pm, as part of the Dakota Fest.

3/10/11. Thank You!!
Thanks to everyone who attended the DFJE fundraiser on February 27^th. We surpassed our goals, thanks to great attendance, a successful auction and generous donations. You can see a sampling of photos from the event on this site, here .

2/22/11. Dakota Combo Wins Mingus Spirit Award at the Charles Mingus High School Competition

On February 19-20, the Dakota Combo joined 11 other combos and big bands in the third annual Charles Mingus High School Band Competition, held at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Six combos and six big bands were selected from a national field of applicants to participate in a day of rehearsal and clinics, followed by a day of performance before panels of distinguished judges. Special concerts during the weekend included the Mingus Orchestra conducted by Gunther Schuller at St. Bartholomew’s Church and brief sets from the Manhattan School of Music combo and the Mingus Dynasty (septet).

The Dakota Combo competed in the “special school” division, performing three Mingus compositions (“So Long Eric,” “Orange Was the Color of Her Dress,” and “Reincarnation of a Love Bird”) arranged by director Adam Linz and based on his transcriptions of the original Mingus arrangements. At the end of the competition, the Combo was awarded the Mingus Spirit Award for the combo most reflecting the spirit of Charles Mingus.

2/1/11. DFJE/ Schubert Club Announce the 7th Annual Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition
Young jazz pianists will again compete for $2000 in scholarships sponsored by the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education and The Schubert Club. The Seventh Annual Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition, open to students in grades 9–12, rewards excellence among students of America's great indigenous art form. Up to three finalists will perform before a panel of judges and live audience at the Dakota Jazz Club on Sunday afternoon, 2pm, May 15th. In addition to the scholarships, the finalists will have an opportunity to perform through programs sponsored by the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education (DFJE) or Schubert Club (such as on the stage of the Dakota Jazz Club, on the DFJE Youth Stage of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and/or a Schubert Club Court Room Series concert).

Young jazz pianists enrolled in a high school (grade 9-12) program or equivalent as of May 15, 2011, are encouraged to complete the application for this competition. Competitors must submit an audio CD containing three jazz tunes of their choosing to the Schubert Club Office by 4:30 pm on April 15th (see rules). A panel of judges will blindly evaluate the recorded performances and rank competitors to select up to three finalists, who will be notified in late April. The finalists (each of whom will be awarded one of the $500 scholarships) will compete before a panel of celebrity judges and a live audience at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant on Sunday, May 15, 2011 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. (All applicants must be available to perform at the Dakota on May 15th.) Judges will provide their critiques to the audience and finalists after each performer. The Performance Prize winner ($500) will be announced at the end of the competition. Rules and application forms are posted on the Schubert Club site at www.schubert.org. More details posted on Jazz Police.

1/5/11. Dakota Combo Selected for Mingus Competition, February 19-20!

The Dakota Jazz Combo, the all-star ensemble of Twin Cities high school jazz musicians directed by Adam Linz, is headed to New York as one of 12 national finalists in the upcoming Charles Mingus High School Competition and Festival, The Combo is one of only two bands outside of the East Coast to participate in this year’s competition, to be held at the Manhattan School of Music February 19-20. For information about the Mingus Institute and education programs, including the competition, visit www.mingusmingusmingus.com. “Meet the Combo” at www.jazzink.com. More about the Combo on this website. More about MacPhail at www.macphail.org

10/9/10. Dave Douglas Presents Composition Workshop

On October 5-6, internationally acclaimed trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas presented a composition workshop at the MacPhail Center for Music. Offered through the artist residency program at the Walker Art Center, Douglas spent two evenings with MacPhail’s advanced ensembles, including the Dakota Combo, and members of the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band. Commentary and photos from the workshop are posted at http://jazzink.blogspot.com/2010/10/student-composers-and-elements-of-style.html

9/15/10. Dakota Combo selected for 2010-2011

Following open auditions on September 11th, the 5th edition of the Dakota Combo was announced by MacPhail Center for Music jazz coordinator Adam Linz. A MacPhail ensemble in partnership with the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education, the Combo provides top high school jazz students with a year of intense rehearsal, study and performance, including a weekend gig at the Dakota Jazz Club with a visiting guest artist. The Combo for 2010-201l will focus on the works of Charles Mingus, and includes:

Danny Hupp (Minneapolis Southwest HS), saxophones

Brad Allen (Minnetonka HS), saxophones
John Cushing (Minnetonka HS), trombone
DeCarlo Jackson (St Paul Conservatory), trumpet
Quentin Tschofen (Lighthouse Program, Spring Lake Park), piano
Jordan Jenkins (Apple Valley HS), bass
Caitlin Kelliher (Minneapolis Southwest HS), bass
Emerson Hunton (Minneapolis South HS), drums

The Combo’s first performance will be on October 27th, 5-8 pm at the MacPhail Center for Music, honoring the publication of the music of local pianist/composer Carei Thomas. The Combo will play Thomas’ works during this celebration.