Time:
Friday
December, 16, 2016
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
Location:
Ballroom W196
Category
HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ENSEMBLES
Performer Details
Performer Bio Synopsis
The Denver School of the Arts is a 6-12 grade magnet school for the arts serving the greater Denver area for 25 years. Band majors at the school participate in Concert Band (6-8th grades) or Wind Ensemble (9-12 grades) and are encouraged to take either jazz or chamber music as well. Graduates of the ensemble have been selected to perform in the Grammy Band, Next Generation Jazz Band, Brubeck Institute, Thelonious Monk Institute. The Jazz Workshop Orchestra features dedicated young jazz artists, many of whom want to pursue performance careers. The ensemble has received Downbeat Magazine’s Best Big Band (Art School Category)award for several recent years and performed as finalists in the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition in New York, NY and in the Swing Central, and the Vail Jazz Workshop. The jazz program at Denver School of the Arts employs local jazz artists on a regular basis and visiting national Jazz artists every year including Terell Stafford, Greg Osby, Melissa Aldona, Javon Jackson, Ron Miles, Jovino Santos Neto and many others.
Denver School of the Arts Jazz Workshop Orchestra
Conductor's Bio
Educated with a performance degree from the Berklee College of Music and a Masters Degree in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Denver, Mr. Hammond performed professionally in Boston, South America and Denver before becoming one of the founding music instructors at the Denver School of the Arts. After a 2-year stint as Assistant Director of Bands at Western Illinois University, Mr. Hammond was hired as Director of Bands at Denver School of the Arts.
Hammond conducts the DSA Concert Band (grades 6-8), Wind Ensemble (grades 9-12), Jazz Workshop Orchestra class (3 big bands), Chamber Ensembles and the All School Musical Pit Orchestra. Under the direction of Mr. Hammond DSA bands have performed at 13 of the last 16 CMEA conferences, performed at 13 times at the CBA State Concert Band Finals, won many awards and accolades including Downbeat Magazine Student Awards: Best Chamber Group,Best Classical Symphonic Band,Best Big Band and Best Studio Orchestra.The Denver School of the Arts Jazz Workshop Orchestra is one of the top high school big bands nationwide selected to compete at the Swing Central Jazz Festival in Savannah, GA (2013, 2014, 2015), Wynton Marsalis’ Essentially Ellington festival in New York (2004, 1998). The DSA bands have also performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Diego, CA, Santa Fe, NM and in New Orleans, LA.
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