20th Annual New Jersey State Jazz Conference
The New Jersey Association for Jazz Education is pleased to announce the 2024 NJAJE Jazz Education Conference, our TWENTIETH annual event presented for New Jersey’s jazz education community. This year’s event will be held on Friday, November 15 and we are THRILLED to be returning to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey. As in the past, our conference will include a lineup of fantastic presenters and subject areas. This year, we are thrilled to welcome Darmon Meader (vocalist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, educator) as our keynote presenter. His presentation topic with be “The Fundamental Connections Between Vocal & Instrumental Jazz Performance,” and we can’t imagine anyone better suited for this subject areaAs always, the conference will also include the industry’s leading new instrumental and vocal jazz reading sessions, a light breakfast provided by Peak Performance Tours, and a luncheon at NJPAC’s Nico Kitchen+Bar, honoring this year’s Jazz Education Achievement Award winner, Pete McGuinness.
The Twentieth Annual Jazz Education Conference is provided FREE to all NJAJE members. Non-members may attend for a fee of just $75, which includes a one-year membership to NJAJE and a subscription to Downbeat Magazine. This year, we are excited to offer a special introductory Individual Membership rate of $40 to vocal teachers new to NJAJE. We are also pleased to offer our regular discounted rate of $60 for retirees and $25 for students! Please join us for the Twentieth Annual Jazz Education Conference by clicking here to register.
CLINIC DESCRIPTIONS & CLINICIAN BIOS
The Fundamental Connections Between Vocal & Instrumental Jazz Performance – Darmon Meader, clinician
Darmon Meader will lead a discussion about the intersection between vocal and instrumental jazz skills. As a lifelong vocalist and saxophonist, Darmon has been exploring the jazz genre from both sides throughout his career. Using interactive demonstrations, Darmon will share his experiences and lead a discussion about the common ground that can be shared by both instrumental and vocal students. Darmon’s lifelong goal as a jazz educator has been to develop jazz vocalists’ awareness and understanding of the jazz language that instrumentalists use, while encouraging instrumentalists to explore the more lyrical and melodic sensibilities on which vocalists thrive. What do Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong have in common? What does “singing through your horn” mean, and how can we develop that skill? What skills are needed to be a mature vocal interpreter of jazz? Come join the discussion!
Recognized in both the jazz vocal and instrumental worlds, Darmon Meader is a highly respected vocalist, arranger and saxophonist. Darmon has achieved international recognition as the founder, musical director, chief arranger, composer, producer, saxophonist, and vocalist with the Grammy Award© winning New York Voices. He has released numerous recordings as a member of New York Voices, and recently released his second solo CD, “Reminiscing in Tempo,” a collection of jazz standards and original works, which reflects his varied interests and skills as a singer, saxophonist, writer and arranger.
With New York Voices, Darmon has collaborated with a variety of artists including Ray Brown, Bernadette Peters, George Benson, Maureen McGovern, Don Sebesky, Nancy Wilson, Paquito D’Rivera and the Count Basie Orchestra. He has toured internationally, performing at such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival and Blue Note Jazz Clubs (New York and Japan). He also joined forces with Amy London, Holli Ross and Dylan Pramuk on the critically acclaimed “Royal Bopsters Project” CD (Motéma), which is a nod to the vocalese tradition. Darmon is increasingly busy as a soloist, sideman, studio musician and composer and is actively involved in music education, working as a clinician and guest artist at both the high school and university levels. Darmon has been an adjunct jazz faculty member at both Manhattan School of Music (2009-2013) and Indiana University (2013-2022). He has been the guest conductor for numerous All-State Jazz Ensembles including New York, California, Colorado, Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, Iowa and Louisiana, and has made artist-in-residence appearances at numerous schools, including Northwestern University, University of Louisville, American River College, Humber College and University of Georgia. Darmon has also taught at numerous domestic and international music workshops including the Inzigkoven Vocal Jazz Workshop in Germany, various IAJE Teacher’s Training Institutes, and the annual New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp. Many of Darmon’s choral, vocal jazz, and instrumental arrangements are available through the following publishers: Carl Fischer Music, Shawnee Press, Hal Leonard, Edition Ferrimontana, Alfred Music, Belwin Mills, Anchor Music and UNC JazzPress.
Reading Session: What’s New for Jazz Ensemble (including vocal features!) – Joseph Verderese, clinician
This session is among the industry’s most comprehensive new music reading sessions, and features some of this year's best charts for instrumental jazz ensembles at all levels - from beginning middle school to advanced high school and college. This year’s reading session will highlight music that includes vocalists with big band at a variety of instructional levels. Conference attendees are invited and encouraged to participate in the reading ensembles. Music provided by Hal Leonard, Belwin, Sierra, Kendor, Doug Beach, Barnhouse, Kjos, Jalen Jazz, Jazz Lines and Walrus Publications. Joseph Verderese is Secretary of NJAJE, and has been Director of Bands at Cresskill Junior/Senior High School since 2005. He is also co-leader of the One More Once Big Band, which he directs with Timothy Hayward.
Professional Development Credit
This conference has been developed according to the New Jersey Standards for Required Professional Development of Teachers. The following PD standards will be addressed: 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The subject matter presented in this year’s conference will assist music educators in helping their students reach grade-appropriate performance expectations found in NJ Student Learning Standards 1.3B, 1.3C, 1.3D and 1.3E. Five hours of professional development credit will be awarded to attendees. NJAJE is a registered professional development provider (Provider No. 5098.)
For more information, contact:
Jeffrey Haas, NJAJE Vice President and Conference Chair
[email protected]
201.207.6736
The Twentieth Annual Jazz Education Conference is provided FREE to all NJAJE members. Non-members may attend for a fee of just $75, which includes a one-year membership to NJAJE and a subscription to Downbeat Magazine. This year, we are excited to offer a special introductory Individual Membership rate of $40 to vocal teachers new to NJAJE. We are also pleased to offer our regular discounted rate of $60 for retirees and $25 for students! Please join us for the Twentieth Annual Jazz Education Conference by clicking here to register.
CLINIC DESCRIPTIONS & CLINICIAN BIOS
The Fundamental Connections Between Vocal & Instrumental Jazz Performance – Darmon Meader, clinician
Darmon Meader will lead a discussion about the intersection between vocal and instrumental jazz skills. As a lifelong vocalist and saxophonist, Darmon has been exploring the jazz genre from both sides throughout his career. Using interactive demonstrations, Darmon will share his experiences and lead a discussion about the common ground that can be shared by both instrumental and vocal students. Darmon’s lifelong goal as a jazz educator has been to develop jazz vocalists’ awareness and understanding of the jazz language that instrumentalists use, while encouraging instrumentalists to explore the more lyrical and melodic sensibilities on which vocalists thrive. What do Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong have in common? What does “singing through your horn” mean, and how can we develop that skill? What skills are needed to be a mature vocal interpreter of jazz? Come join the discussion!
Recognized in both the jazz vocal and instrumental worlds, Darmon Meader is a highly respected vocalist, arranger and saxophonist. Darmon has achieved international recognition as the founder, musical director, chief arranger, composer, producer, saxophonist, and vocalist with the Grammy Award© winning New York Voices. He has released numerous recordings as a member of New York Voices, and recently released his second solo CD, “Reminiscing in Tempo,” a collection of jazz standards and original works, which reflects his varied interests and skills as a singer, saxophonist, writer and arranger.
With New York Voices, Darmon has collaborated with a variety of artists including Ray Brown, Bernadette Peters, George Benson, Maureen McGovern, Don Sebesky, Nancy Wilson, Paquito D’Rivera and the Count Basie Orchestra. He has toured internationally, performing at such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival and Blue Note Jazz Clubs (New York and Japan). He also joined forces with Amy London, Holli Ross and Dylan Pramuk on the critically acclaimed “Royal Bopsters Project” CD (Motéma), which is a nod to the vocalese tradition. Darmon is increasingly busy as a soloist, sideman, studio musician and composer and is actively involved in music education, working as a clinician and guest artist at both the high school and university levels. Darmon has been an adjunct jazz faculty member at both Manhattan School of Music (2009-2013) and Indiana University (2013-2022). He has been the guest conductor for numerous All-State Jazz Ensembles including New York, California, Colorado, Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, Iowa and Louisiana, and has made artist-in-residence appearances at numerous schools, including Northwestern University, University of Louisville, American River College, Humber College and University of Georgia. Darmon has also taught at numerous domestic and international music workshops including the Inzigkoven Vocal Jazz Workshop in Germany, various IAJE Teacher’s Training Institutes, and the annual New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp. Many of Darmon’s choral, vocal jazz, and instrumental arrangements are available through the following publishers: Carl Fischer Music, Shawnee Press, Hal Leonard, Edition Ferrimontana, Alfred Music, Belwin Mills, Anchor Music and UNC JazzPress.
Reading Session: What’s New for Jazz Ensemble (including vocal features!) – Joseph Verderese, clinician
This session is among the industry’s most comprehensive new music reading sessions, and features some of this year's best charts for instrumental jazz ensembles at all levels - from beginning middle school to advanced high school and college. This year’s reading session will highlight music that includes vocalists with big band at a variety of instructional levels. Conference attendees are invited and encouraged to participate in the reading ensembles. Music provided by Hal Leonard, Belwin, Sierra, Kendor, Doug Beach, Barnhouse, Kjos, Jalen Jazz, Jazz Lines and Walrus Publications. Joseph Verderese is Secretary of NJAJE, and has been Director of Bands at Cresskill Junior/Senior High School since 2005. He is also co-leader of the One More Once Big Band, which he directs with Timothy Hayward.
Professional Development Credit
This conference has been developed according to the New Jersey Standards for Required Professional Development of Teachers. The following PD standards will be addressed: 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The subject matter presented in this year’s conference will assist music educators in helping their students reach grade-appropriate performance expectations found in NJ Student Learning Standards 1.3B, 1.3C, 1.3D and 1.3E. Five hours of professional development credit will be awarded to attendees. NJAJE is a registered professional development provider (Provider No. 5098.)
For more information, contact:
Jeffrey Haas, NJAJE Vice President and Conference Chair
[email protected]
201.207.6736
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