May 21, 1998
KALAMAZOO -- Faculty members and students in the School of Music's Jazz Studies Program are upbeat about the recent honors they received from Down Beat magazine.
Seven "DB" awards, announced in the May issue of the magazine, went to WMU students and ensembles. Adding these accolades to those received in the past five years gives WMU students and ensembles some 50 awards - more than any other college or university in the same time period.
This year's winners were: saxophonist Robert Lewis, a recent master's degree recipient from Moscow, Idaho, who was named a college co-winner in the jazz instrumental soloist category; guitarist Michael Drost, a recent graduate from Arlington Heights, Ill., who received a college outstanding performance award in the jazz instrumental soloist category; the University Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Thomas Knific, which was named a college co-winner in the jazz big band category; vocalists Christin Foley, a senior from Bay Village, Ohio, and Dan Myers, a junior from Stevens Point, Wis., who swept the college outstanding performance awards in the jazz vocal soloist category; Gold Company, under the direction of Stephen Zegree, which received a college outstanding performance recognition in the jazz vocal choir category; and the Gold Company Sextet, which was named the college winner in the jazz vocal group category.
Media contact: Cheryl Roland; cheryl.roland@wmich.edu
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