Wow.
Our Vocal Jazz Camp 2013 final concert in Schrott Performance Hall was over a week ago; Friday 26 July. What sticks out for you? What do you remember most? Better yet; what new things will you keep doing?
Take a moment to share your memories and best wishes with friends and family below! What do you remember? – Dr. B
“To be is to do” – Socrates
“To do is to be” – Sartre
“Do Be Do Be Do” – Sinatra
First and foremost, I remember being called Mr. Phillip. STOP IT! (haha)
It’s mind-boggling seeing people who have only been working as a group for five days come together so quickly and make an amazing jazz choir. But I shouldn’t be so surprised when you guys had help from Dr. B, Ms. Gordon, and Ms. Doty (you’re a student teacher now, so it fits for you, Katherine!) But on top of that, you guys are just quick learners and amazing singers!
Our instrumentalists were super hard workers and knew exactly what to do. Nathan Perry, amazing as ever behind the grand, is also an amazing educator and he really knows how to lead the rhythm section. I wish there was more time for me to get to know Cam and Daniel, but weren’t they great, too? (I did find I Exist on Spotify, too. Pretty cool stuff.)
I hope you guys got a lot out of the theory and tech sessions with Mr. Cheng. I think you guys are already better at chords than I am! And what’s with all those cool GarageBand sessions?
The concert definitely got me excited to be back at Butler at the end of the month and get back to Schrott! Working with Colin, Zach, and Dennis was just like old times (old times being like 2.5 months ago haha). But I’ll also be back for Jordan Jazz again along with Magdelena and Dr. B to do some more vocal jazz – Katherine, Nathan, make sure you at least visit in! Working with an almost-entirely new group is gonna be a nice (non-)challenge.
I think the best part of all this is we’re still chatting with each other on facebook from time to time. Me and Stephanie became besties over our mutual like of “The Great Gatsby” and mutual dislike of “Lord of the Flies” – you guys from Hong Kong, be glad you’ll never have to read “Lord of the Flies.” It’s great seeing all our pics in the group page and really brings back memories. It feels so much longer than a week, doesn’t it?
I know I’ll see some of you at Vocal Jazz Fest this fall, and I hope I get to see a lot of you guys in Hong Kong next summer! Till then, we get to share these walls of text.
TL;DR: You guys rule :3
The concert was just wonderful! I will remember my tears as you all sang “I Won’t Give Up” so beautifully and with such emotion. I will also remember the grace and courage that you all demonstrated on Friday morning in the face of hardship. I am so thankful to have met all of you! Best of wishes with the rest of your musical journey 🙂
I’ll remember how we grew as a family of singers to study, express and perform seven unique styles of vocal jazz using new aural and sight-reading techniques, awareness of jazz history and theory, great imrov strategies and movement with Ms. Gordon, Ms. Leung, Ms. Katherine, Ms. Magdelena, Mr. Phillip, Mr. Lee, Nathan Perry, Cam Bailey and Daniel McCullough. Thanks to our audio engineer, Colin Shay, for the excellent work with Schrott’s acoustics, our sound system and our new mic skills! What a team we became in four and a half days!
I’ll remember our great mealtime chats, sharing jokes and all of the things we talked about with new friends from both ends of our planet!
I’ll remember dedicating “I Won’t Give Up” to our best friend and hero; Judy Hubbard!
Most of all, I’ll remember creating beautiful vocal jazz that only brilliant, creative, trusting friends can make together when working and playing hard. Together.