What started as an experiment back in 2009 when the vocal jazz ensemble New York Voices first offered its
jazz camp on campus has become a fixture at Bowling Green State University.
The four Voices and select colleagues and students arrive back on campus Monday for the New York Voices
Vocal Jazz Camp, a week of learning and performing the art of jazz vocalizing.
The days are packed with coaching and classes with most nights featuring performances by instructors and
students.
Activity became so intense, Peter Eldridge of the Voices said in a telephone interview, that they decided
last summer to take a night off and go bowling.
“It was just to have something that didn’t require such high concentration,” he said.
Back in 2009 Eldridge and his fellow Voices Lauren Kinhan, Darmon Meader and Kim Nazarian, “weren’t sure
what the response would be.”
They all had done workshops and master classes, but never had they set up shop and offered an extended
session focused around their work. “We knew we had our act together to do it.”
The response was strong. “Right from the get-go we had people from other countries flying in,” he said.
This year the camp will have 80 students. That’s as many as it can accommodate, said Chris Buzzelli,
retired guitar professor who helps coordinate the camp.
Those enrolled include 20 high school students, 35 college students and 25 adults. They hail from 20
states as well as the Czech Republic, Canada, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.
The youngest is 15 the eldest is 71, Eldridge said.
They share a common passion. “There is something about the power of music that just creates community.
There’s just an emotional power in harmony,” Eldridge said.
“There’s something that’s so rich emotionally when a bunch of people sing together, creating this
harmony, and the chord gets stronger and the sound just gets bigger and bigger. … By having all these
voices join forces, there’s something very powerful. It’s not just you anymore; you’re part of something
larger.”
Students get a chance to work in a large ensemble of all students, as well as smaller ensembles. They
also get to study one on one with faculty members. Classes in theory, arranging, jazz history,
improvisation and ensemble directing are offered.
In addition to the New York Voices, others teaching that week include: Buzzelli, a guitarist who also
directed the Vocal Jazz Ensemble at BGSU until his recent retirement; Greg Jasperse, an educator and
director; Rosana Eckert, a solo and studio singer; and Jay Ashby, trombonist, arranger and
percussionist.
The camp offers students plenty of opportunities to perform including public concerts Aug. 6, 7 and 8.
Also the BGSU jazz singers and camp faculty perform Monday and Tuesday the New York Voices sing short
individual sets.
The week culminates with a concert by the New York Voices Aug. 8.
All concerts are in Donnell Theatre in the Wolfe Center for the Arts at 8 p.m., except for the student
ensemble concert Aug. 8 at 4 p.m.
