Vocal and Instrumental Student Showcase

Pending 2025 updates

Vocal and Instrumental Student Showcase

April 21, 2024

St. Philip Lutheran Church

Fee:  $75 per entrant/$100 for non-members

Registration Deadline- January 31, 2024

Auditions – Late February/TBD

Dress Rehearsal – April 14

Final Performance – April 21

We are partnering with a group of professional level jazz musicians from the Denver area for this exciting and unique opportunity for our vocal and instrumental (not piano) students.

Students of all ages and levels are invited to audition with a polished solo jazz/pop/rock piece that has a standard lead sheet to perform with our jazz trio. The trio will be comprised of:

Doug Roche, piano - Dave Rohlf, drums – Ron Bland, bass

with special appearance by Andy Stevens, clarinet

All of these performers are long-time Denver musicians who have extensive experience working at the professional level and with students.

Our judge this year is Dan Geisler. Dan is a composer/arranger and keyboardist. He received his Master's degree in Studio and Jazz Writing from the University of Miami. At Miami he studied jazz composition with Ron Miller, studio and jazz arranging with Gary Lindsey, jazz piano with Vince Maggio and Digital Audio with Ken Pohlmann. Composing/Arranging clients include Hal Leonard Publishing, UNC Jazz Press, and many studio and live performers. As a pianist/keyboardist he has worked with Mr. Boodles Band, Ed Calle, DKO, Hazel Miller, Jon Secada, Ira Sullivan, Billy Paul Williams, The Backstreet Boys, Erin O'Donnell and many more. 

Dan will select 10-12 students to perform their solo piece at the final showcase. ALL students who audition will be included in a group number – “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got that Swing)”. Music for the group number will be provided on or before the audition date.

All students who audition will receive constructive feedback from the judge and those selected as soloists will receive ample practice time with the trio.

Students and their teachers must be available for all dates involved in this event – auditions, dress rehearsal and final performance. Non-CMTA members are welcome to enter their students for an additional fee.

Not sure what piece to choose? Please feel free to reach out to Kristen to discuss

Kristen Celusniak, chair – kristen.celusniak@gmail.com, 303-517-4895

Please find registration forms access in the CMTA Newsletter or contact the event chair above regarding event/registration questions

Chappell Kingsland has been editing video footage from our April 2023 Showcase and posting it to this YouTube page:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCBCDLvxU5f-R8OtLfaqGD7eyQgO5lSBg

Please find registration forms access in the CMTA Newsletter or contact the event chair above regarding event/registration questions

Please enjoy the below videos from our 2023 Showcase: