Department of Music Vocal Jazz and Contemporary Voice
Students in UWSP’s new Contemporary Voice Studio will develop their artistry, singing in a variety of different styles including pop, rock, jazz, musical theater, R&B, and folk. Students can complete either a BA in Music or a BM in Jazz Studies with contemporary voice as their primary instrument. Students will receive weekly contemporary voice lessons with Professor of Vocal Jazz and Contemporary Voice, Dr. Timothy Buchholz, and participate in weekly Contemporary Voice Studio Class with their peers in the program. Students will also perform on a studio recital each semester, accompanied by pop/rock/jazz instrumentalists, and can sing in on-campus jam sessions in the Basement Brewhaus. Students are encouraged to audition for the UWSP Vocal Jazz Ensemble and can additionally participate in one of the five student-led Contemporary A Cappella groups that are part of the A Cappella UWSP club.
The UWSP Vocal Jazz Ensemble is a select SATB vocal ensemble open to any university student through audition. The group of 14-18 singers performs a wide variety of jazz and popular music and gives numerous performances each year on and off campus. The ensemble has collaborated with professional vocal jazz groups and singers such as säje, Kerry Marsh, m-pact, Janet Planet, and more. The ensemble takes a yearly weekend group retreat to UWSP’s Treehaven center, hosts a vocal jazz festival each spring, and travels to perform at high schools and festivals throughout the state.
Rehearsals: Tuesday and Thursday, 3:00-4:15pm
Registration: MUS 344, option of 1 or 2 credits
Director: Dr. Timothy Buchholz
Audition information
A Cappella UWSP (ACU) is a student organization with the purpose of creating a collaborative environment for UWSP students to build their skills singing and performing a cappella music. UWSP currently has four student-led contemporary a cappella groups and a body music ensemble that are part of ACU. All groups perform on a concert together each semester and have club activities such as karaoke nights. Some groups also have additional performances on and off campus. There are many leadership opportunities within ACU including student music directors for each ensemble and roles on the club’s executive board. If you have any questions or are interested in joining an a cappella group at UWSP, please email: a.cappella.uwsp@uwsp.edu
A Cappella UWSP Ensembles:
- In Harmony – All voice parts, non-auditioned
- On Point – TTBB, auditioned
- The Point Pitches – SSAA, auditioned
- Sforzando – SATB, auditioned
- One Hundred Footsteps – Body Music Ensemble, non-auditioned
UWSP Wausau Vocal Jazz Festival
The UWSP Wausau Vocal Jazz Festival is a non-competitive festival open to both high school and college vocal jazz groups.
It takes place on our Wausau campus, in our outstanding Veninga Theater, utilizing contemporary audio, video and lighting.
Friday, April 12, 2024
Guest Artists/Clinicians: m-pact
Groups will prepare 2-3 songs to perform on stage with our state-of-the-art sound system and then participate in a clinic with our guest artists/clinicians.
In addition to an off-stage clinic, your group will learn from observing other high school and college groups perform, will attend masterclasses by our guest artists, will have an opportunity to work on solo singing, and will be offered discounts on tickets for an evening concert by our guest artists that you don’t want to miss.
Private YouTube videos of your group’s performance will be created so students can watch their performance and share with family and friends. We hope to see you in April!
Group participation fee is $310. Ticket price for the evening concert at 7 p.m. is reduced to $7 for all festival participants: students/teachers/chaperones!
Registration:
Come enjoy an evening of unforgettable music by vocal jazz group m-pact! Hailed “one of the best pop/jazz vocal groups in the world” by the San Francisco Chronicle, m-pact is respected worldwide as a cutting edge trailblazer in the realm of vocal music. You do not want to miss this opportunity to hear the one of the best vocal jazz groups on the planet!
General public can purchase concert tickets HERE (coming soon)
CONCERT
7 p.m., UWSP at Wausau, James F. Veninga Theater
$20 – general admission ($7 for participating school groups)
General admission tickets are available in advance online at the link above. If tickets remain they will be sold at the box office beginning half an hour before the performance.
Questions? Email Timothy Buchholz
Timothy Buchholz
- Professor – Vocal Jazz and Contemporary Voice
College of Fine Arts & Communication, Department of Music, School of Performing Arts
Matthew Markham
- Associate Professor – Voice
- Voice Area Coordinator
College of Fine Arts & Communication, Department of Music, School of Performing Arts
Matheus Cruz
- Assistant Professor – Voice
- Director of Choirs
College of Fine Arts & Communication, Department of Music, School of Performing Arts
Susan Bender
College of Fine Arts & Communication, Department of Music, School of Performing Arts
National Association of Schools of Music
Founded in 1924, the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 637 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for music and music-related disciplines and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other music-related endeavors.
The College of Fine Arts and Communication at UW-Stevens Point is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
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