Students and Faculty Honored at 44th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards
A Berklee vocal jazz ensemble directed by Professor Ned Rosenblatt performs at the 2020 Jazz Education Network Conference.
Image by Michelle Tsimtsos
DownBeat magazine recognized six Berklee College of Music ensembles with Student Music Awards across a wide variety of categories, including three awards in the Asynchronous Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble category. Ned Rosenblatt, associate professor in the Voice Department, directed four of the winning vocal jazz ensembles, and Professor Greg Hopkins directed the winning large jazz ensemble. Students Grant Heineman and Annie Dickinson codirected Point of Departure Vocal Jazz, winner in the Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble category for outstanding undergraduate performances.
“Seeing DownBeat acknowledge the tremendous work of our student ensembles and groups is a wonderful feeling,” said Rosenblatt. “I am so proud of the students for continuing to present award-winning work through a partially remote school year in a pandemic, and I extend my gratitude to DownBeat for their accolades.”
Asynchronous Large Jazz Ensemble
Undergraduate College Winner
Makoto Ishizaka Jazz Orchestra
- Director: Greg Hopkins
Asynchronous Small Vocal Jazz Group
Undergraduate College Winner
Advanced Vocal Jazz Ensemble
- Outstanding Soloist: Avery Schmalz on “As We Live and Breathe”
- Director: Ned Rosenblatt
Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble
Undergraduate College Outstanding Performances
Point of Departure Vocal Jazz
- Student Directors: Grant Heineman and Annie Dickinson
- Outstanding Soloist: Lila Sabbah on “Hideaway”
Asynchronous Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble
Undergraduate College Winners
Vocal Jazz Ensemble 1
- Director: Ned Rosenblatt
- Outstanding Soloist: Dominic Nye on “But Not for Me”
Vocal Jazz Ensemble
- Director: Ned Rosenblatt
Undergraduate College Outstanding Performance
Vocal Jazz Ensemble 3
- Director: Ned Rosenblatt
