MU Jazz is made up of The Mansfield University Jazz Ensemble, The Mansfield University Jazz Lab Band, and The Mansfieldians Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
The Mansfield University Jazz Group is designed to offer current students and faculty a medium to interact with current and prospective students, along with our proud alumni. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania's Music Department offers a large variety of ensembles in which you can participate. Our ensembles provide important, life-changing musical experiences for all who participate. Plus, skills learned from ensemble participation equip you for leadership roles after graduation. All ensembles are open to all Mansfield University students regardless of major area of study or class standing. Auditions for select ensembles are held during the first days of class each semester.
ENSEMBLES:
MU Jazz Ensemble: The Jazz Ensemble is Mansfield University's premiere student instrumental jazz group typically consisting of 25-30 student musicians. The group has recorded several albums and toured as near as Coudersport and as far as Edinburgh, Scotland in the last few years. Placement in the ensemble is contingent on audition at the beginning of every semester.
Mansfieldians: Mansfield University's premiere vocal jazz ensemble is perhaps the most recognizable name nationally. This select group of 9-12 vocalists have performed internationally and brought great recognition to the school. In 2008, the Mansfieldians won the Championship in the Vocal Jazz Category at the World Choir Games in Graz, Austria. The group rehearses three hours a week and makes frequent guest appearances on behalf of the university Placement in the ensemble is contingent on audition at the beginning of every semester.
Jazz Lab Band: Added to the department in 1999, the Jazz Lab Band is comprised of music majors and non music majors who wish to further their experiences in jazz performance. This group performs on campus two to three times per year. Membership is by audition, but to afford opportunities to more students there are alternate positions available.
Directors:
DR. SHERYL MONKELIEN (Vocal Jazz/Mansfieldians)- Dr. Monkelien teaches elementary and secondary methods, supervises student teachers, teaches graduate courses in music education and co-directs the Mansfieldians. Before coming to MU, she taught music at the elementary, middle, high school and college levels in Iowa, Washington, Massachusetts, North Dakota, and Nebraska.
Dr. Monkelien is an experienced jazz singer, conductor and clinician studied vocal jazz for two years at the Phil Mattson School of Music. Her vocal jazz ensembles have performed at numerous festivals, state and regional conferences including the 2003 Eastern Division MENC Conference in Providence, RI and at the 2003 PMEA State In-Service Conference in Hershey, PA; and in 1997 Dr. Monkelien's UNL Vocal Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall with guest conductor Phil Mattson, and has presented throughout the northeast.
Her paper “The Influence of Phil Mattson on Vocal Jazz Education in America” was published in IAJE's 2004 Jazz Research Proceedings Yearbook. She currently serves as Higher Education Chair for District 8, PMEA; and as Vocal Jazz Repertoire & Standards Chair for ACDA-PA. Dr. Monkelien, is a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and The Boston Pops Orchestra under conductors Seiji Ozawa, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Roger Norrington, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Helmuth Rilling and John Williams, and has appeared on several PBS Evening with Pops television specials.
MR. DANIEL FOSTER (Jazz Ensemble/Applied Trumpet)- Mr. Foster is originally from Endicott, New York. He previously taught at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and was a freelance trumpet player and teacher of all styles in the metropolitan areas of Indianapolis, Chicago, Dallas, and Fort Worth. Mr. Foster is a former lead trumpet player of the 6-time Grammy-Nominated North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band. As a member of that ensemble, he performed at the Guiness Jazz Festival in Cork, Ireland; on a radio and internet broadcasted show from the Bull's Head in London; with the Houston Symphony; and at the Jazz Educators' Network Conference in New Orleans. As a lead trumpet player, he is found on the One O'Clock Lab Band's Lab 2010 and Lab 2011 albums, and on the DownBeat Magazine Award-winning North Texas Two O'Clock Lab Band's album, Too Two. He has backed The Four Tops, Chris Vadala, Wayne Bergeron, Lyle Mays, Denis DiBlasio, George Rabbai, Ingrid Jensen, John Mosca, Michael Davis, and many others. Mr. Foster is an avid clinician and guest artist and has worked with numerous groups ranging from middle school to professional ensembles. More information, including photos, audio, and video, can be found on his website: danfostermusic.com.
For more information visit:
music.mansfield.edu
