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		Western Michigan University School of Music * Jazz Education News * WMU Jazz Studies Students Rack Up Multiple DownBeat Awards -Student Honors Repeat 2006 Achievement- KALAMAZOO -- In summer 2007 jazz studies students at Western Michigan University continued to sing and swing and play a familiar tune by again garnering multiple awards from DownBeat magazine. In a repeat of 2006, WMU remained the only university in Michigan to win an award.  All told WMU students pulled down five wins in the 30th Annual Student Music Awards featured in the June issue of DownBeat.  Award recipients include: Ryan Andrews of Kalamazoo, Mich., a member of WMU's Lee Honors College, won two awards--one for Outstanding Performance on drums and a second for his performance as Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist. He is a drummer with the WMU's Gold Company Band, Brasil Project and Drum Choir. Aubrey Johnson of Green Bay, Wis., also a Lee Honors College member was singled out for Jazz Vocalist Outstanding Performance.  She is a vocalist with jazz vocal ensemble Gold Company and previously was with vocal ensemble GC II. Logan Thomas of Portage, Mich., won in the Original Song, Outstanding Performance category for his performance of "The Legends Throne." He is a pianist with the Gold Company Band, the Brasil Project and the Jazz Octet and has been a member of the Jazz Orchestra. The Giraud/Mattei Project, made up of Gerald Mattei of Rochester Hills, Mich., and Matthew Giraud of Ypsilanti, Mich. won for Blues/Pop/Rock, Outstanding Performance. Mattei has performed with the Lab Band and GC II. Giraud is vocalist with GC II. For more than a dozen consecutive years, WMU students have won multiple awards in the national contest. WMU tied for second this year with the University of Miami.  The Manhattan School of Music won the most awards. "DownBeat's annual competition is regarded as one of the most important barometers of success in jazz education, while DownBeat magazine is considered the 'dean' of jazz publications," says Tom Knific, WMU professor of music and director of the WMU Jazz Studies program.   "Our program has amassed well over 100 awards in just over a dozen years." Knific says WMU's chief competitors continue to be the University of Miami, The New England Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music.   He noted that The Julliard School, one of the nation's more prominent programs, won a single award this year. "Anyone familiar with these other programs knows that WMU is vastly out-numbered, out-staffed, out-funded and producing its program in a much smaller market demographically than these other schools," Knific says.   "Yet our best equals the best anywhere." The Jazz Studies Program at Western Michigan University is part of the School of Music.   It has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to jazz education, notably, the home base of the acclaimed vocal jazz ensemble, Gold Company.   The jazz program attracts undergraduate and graduate students from throughout the United States and worldwide.   Graduates of the program are among today's leaders in jazz and pop performance, Broadway, recording studio production, writing, arranging, singing, and music education. #                      #                      #                      # Top

 
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