(GLASSBORO, NJ) -- The Jazz Studies program at Rowan University ventures into new territory with the addition of a Jazz Vocal component as the Department of Music welcomes singer and educator Anne Sciolla to the faculty starting in September.
The move marks the first time in the nearly 35 year history of the jazz major that a faculty member will be dedicated to teaching voice for the jazz idiom, according to Denis DiBlasio, director of Rowan’s jazz program. Students will have the opportunity to work with someone focused on singing jazz music.
Sciolla will work on vocal technique and health as well as an understanding of the history and style of jazz through voice lessons and related courses. She believes that singing correctly and knowing the genre are the foundations of everything else. A new jazz vocal ensemble directed by Sciolla is also planned.
DiBlasio notes that this new element was inspired by students interested in this aspect of performance, but finding the right person to lead it was the key to making it a reality.
A respected and accomplished vocalist and a Philadelphia native, Sciolla has been a professional singer in both the jazz and classical fields, in addition to working as an educator, for more than 30 years. She has been a guest artist with the Philadelphia Jazzproject in addition to extensive work in the recording studio and performances at jazz festivals around the country. Locally, she has worked with Relache New Music Ensemble and with the Philly Pops Orchestra as part of the Voices of the Philly Pops.
Sciolla is a member of the Philadelphia Voice Foundation, presenting master classes and workshops, and she has volunteered with GRAMMY in the Schools, a music education program through the Grammy Museum. A Doctoral Candidate in Higher Education and Leadership at Gwynedd Mercy University, she earned a Master’s Degree in Classical Voice Performance from West Chester University and a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Voice Performance from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts.
As a recording artist, Sciolla’s debut release was 1998’s Jerome Kern - Lost Treasures on the Centaur Record label. Last year, she released a tribute to Joni Mitchell, Soul Full Snapshot, to Joni, on the Vectordisc label. Her upcoming jazz album Diva Free Zone will be released in August through Vectordisc as well. In between, she has been a soloist, guest artist, and backup singer on numerous recordings, including Joey DeFrancesco’s Never Can Say Goodbye, which was nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award as Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
The Rowan University Jazz Program is designed to prepare musicians for careers in jazz and commercial music. Students study a major instrument with an artist/teacher, along with private study in jazz improvisation and experience in a variety of ensembles. The faculty is composed of in-demand working professional musicians/educators dedicated to preserving this uniquely American art form.
