Vocal Jazz 1 ensemble selected to perform at national conference

Central Washington University’s Vocal Jazz 1 ensemble has always performed at a high level, but every once in a while, the group is invited to take the stage alongside the nation’s elite choirs.

Next year is one of those rare occasions as the group of 20 premier vocalists, directed by Professor Vijay Singh, was selected for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference in March.

“Our groups perform at such a high level year in and year out, and as their professor, that makes me so proud,” said Singh, who came to CWU in 1999 and has accompanied three vocal jazz ensembles to the ACDA nationals, once in 2011 and, most recently, in 2015.

“Being invited to this event is a huge accomplishment for our program, and it really speaks to the level of excellence we have cultivated over the years,” he added.

Singh explained that, to be considered for the ACDA National Conference, the Vocal Jazz 1 group had to submit concert excerpts from the past three years.

He lauded his singers’ consistency and professionalism as they prepare to take their place among the nation’s best choral ensembles.

“ACDA has a very rigorous audition process that is unlike any other organization,” Singh said. “Each of the auditions is peer-reviewed and we are required to submit three consecutive years of live, unedited recordings. That’s not easy to do, and it means this group of singers really stood out in the judges’ eyes.”

Many of the Vocal Jazz 1 members have been with the ensemble for the past couple of years, but a few of the singers who will be performing in Dallas, Texas, from March 18-22 are new to the group.

Auditions for the 2024-25 ensemble were just completed last month, meaning the newly configured chorus has a lot of work to do over the next few months.

“Our upper division singers understand that they were the reason we were selected, but the new students know they will play an important role in maintaining that consistency at nationals,” Singh said. “CWU is fortunate because we draw the best talent from across the region, and we are able to rebuild our ranks, just like a top athletic program.”

Singh equated his program to that of Gonzaga University men’s basketball coach Mark Few, who also assumed his role in 1999.

“What we do is very similar to upper-division athletics,” Singh noted. “Just like Gonzaga for basketball, CWU is a top destination for musical talent. Both of us are proof that small schools from Washington state can accomplish big things on the national stage.”

Vocal Jazz 1 regularly receives invitations to perform at the ACDA Northwest Regional Conference, including this year’s event in Spokane. But to be selected for the national conference is an entirely different echelon for the ensemble.

Singh often reminds his singers that opportunities like this don’t come along every year.

“This is a highly competitive process, with hundreds of submissions,” he said. “It’s a huge honor to be selected for regionals, and I don’t want that to be lost on my students. But to be selected for nationals is truly special. These are the very best singers in the country, and our peers are saying they believe we belong in that class.”

Now that Vocal Jazz 1 has secured its place for the ACDA National Conference in March, Singh and his colleagues have begun coordinating their fundraising efforts.

The group will be hosting a series of quarterly concerts, which will help, but the largest contributions typically come from private donors and corporate sponsorships. Singh explained that flying 20 students to Dallas and paying for their accommodations for three days is going to require a significant amount of outside resources.

“I have accepted the invitation, and now the real work begins,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want his students to have to focus on fundraising as they prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “The more help we can get from the community and corporate sponsors, the more our students can concentrate on being artists.”

Anyone interested in contributing to the group’s fundraising campaign can visit the CWU Donations webpage and specify that the donation is intended for the “Vocal Jazz Fund” (#012190001).

If you need additional information, please email music.department@cwu.edu.