Carlsbad Seniors Discover Love for Jazz at All-State Jazz Festival

By Misty Cryer

Two seniors from Carlsbad attended the New Mexico All-State Jazz Festival at UNM in Albuquerque earlier this year. They found the experience fun and educational. Both choir students plan to pursue music after graduation.

Robin Irving, Choir Director and Academic Achievement Advisor with Carlsbad Early College High School, said, “Back in October, NMMEA (New Mexico Music Educators Association) hosted the online audition process for All-State Vocal Jazz. We had several choir members audition for this ensemble, and the winners were Early College High School Choir Senior Ethni Florez and Home School Senior Leah Horton. Leah is a member of the Carlsbad High School Troubadours, directed by Kyle Martin.”

The auditions included a jazz solo (All of Me’), a choral jazz piece (Come Fly with Me), and a sight-reading in the jazz style of singing, said Irving. “After successfully winning the audition, the two students received their packets of choral jazz standards to learn and memorize prior to attending the festival. They worked on this music over the holidays and into January. In fact, since both singers were also members of the New Mexico All-State Choir earlier in January; they had double the music to learn in less than three months,” she said.

Irving explained that the New Mexico All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble is a 22-person vocal group of selected high school students that meets at the All-State Jazz Festival. “They rehearsed on Friday night and all day Saturday with their director, Nick Prior, and then performed a dynamic concert on Sunday afternoon at the University of New Mexico’s Keller Hall. In the breaks between rehearsals, all of the students at the festival enjoyed getting to hear performances by UNM’s Jazz Bands and the Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra. Students also attended a Q&A with jazz pianist and composer Ellen Rowe, and she shared stories about her process as a composer and her inspirations in the world of jazz,” she said.

“I loved that it was such a small ensemble. I’m used to doing All-State with two or three hundred people. It felt much more connected getting to do it with a small ensemble of about 20,” said Leah.

“My favorite part of the Jazz Festival I would say –learning the new techniques. There was just so much to learn that was so different from regular choral things. I didn’t realize that it was that drastically different, but I just loved being able to immerse myself into that entire experience,” said Ethni.

When asked what type of music she enjoys most, Leah said, “I would definitely say jazz. It opens up such a different part of my abilities. It’s definitely harder than everything I’ve done before because you have to combine all of your classical knowledge as well as all of the techniques from musical theater to get the good jazz sound that everybody loves.”

Ethni said, “I’ve really grown to just love jazz the most based off that experience. Choral music in its own way is so much fun, but I feel like I have way more freedom of expression through jazz,” said Ethni.

“One incredible thing that Ethni and Leah also have in common is that both students also auditioned for the Honors Performance Series this year and won membership in two of the honor ensembles offered this school year. Leah performed with the Carnegie Hall Honor Choir in NYC, February 6-10, and Ethni is preparing for the Sydney Opera House Honor Choir in Sydney, Australia, this coming July,” Irving said.

“I’m so excited. It was like a dream. I still don’t think I’ll fully be aware of it until I get off the plane,” said Ethni.

“Both seniors will graduate in May and pursue music at universities to which they have been accepted. We’re excited to see what wonderful things they accomplish next,” said Irving.

After graduation, Leah said, “I’m planning on attending the University of Portland in Oregon for a bachelor’s degree in music.” She said she hopes to perform professionally but is also interested in providing private lessons for voice and piano. “I’ve been singing and playing since I was about three,” she said.

Ethni said = she has been accepted into ENMU at Portales. “I’m going to study music and theater, hopefully, double majoring,” she said.

Leah said she is most inspired by artists. “People like Jason Lyle Black. He came a few years back and performed here in Carlsbad. Then Eric Whitacre, he’s one of my favorite composers. All of his pieces have such a deep meaning for me.”

Ethni said her family definitely inspires her most because they are all very hard workers. “Musically, it has been Mrs. Irving. I see how unsupported at times it can be and how hard it can be for choir and arts in a small town. Mrs. Irving really definitely pursues each individual student’s dreams as her own. I appreciate that of her. I see how hard she works for us; it makes me want to work just as hard whenever I’m working for something with choir.”