JazzNIC Festival returns to North Idaho College

The annual JazzNIC Festival is back at North Idaho College. More than 200 middle and high school students will participate in jazz clinics Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 7 and 8, at NIC’s main campus in Coeur d’Alene.

The festival includes a concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.

This educational festival features hourly clinics for vocal jazz and instrumental jazz groups. The clinics allow students to receive instant, specific feedback on how to improve their performances.

Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday as guest clinicians work with educators and students.

Four local and regional musical experts will lead local band and choir students in the two-day festival.

Eastern Washington University’s director of jazz Jenny Kellogg’s musical career has taken her around the world to China, England, Italy and Peru. Kellogg plays in the Spokane area with the Spokane Jazz Orchestra, Brassworks Northwest and Son Dulce Live Salsa, among others.

James Schmehl has taught drumming at Sorensen Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities since 2016 and has played drums/percussion professionally for 15 years, including two years onboard Celebrity Cruise Lines. Schmehl has played in many different style groups, and some of his favorites include jazz, Afrobeat and funk.

NIC Director of Choirs and Professor of Music Max Mendez is an active part of the Inland Northwest music community. He divides his time between conducting, teaching and performing and currently conducts the NIC Cardinal Chorale, Chamber Singers and Cardinal Voices.

Cardinal Voices, led by Mendez, will perform an eclectic mix of songs by various songwriters, including “Smooth Operator” and “How Deep is Your Love.”

“I’m excited for the audience to hear this semester’s lineup of students,” Mendez said. “We are excited to perform the music of Adele, Al Green and Van Morrison. Our audience will be ‘Rolling in the Deep’ sounds of the group and doing a groovy ‘Moondance’ by the end of the set.”

Cardinal Voices is a new music ensemble at North Idaho College. In Cardinal Voices, students focus on performing studio-quality popular music. It provides an ensemble atmosphere emphasizing small group dynamics, ensemble singing/performance, solo performance, songwriting and arranging, all within versatile musical and singing styles.

The NIC Jazz Ensemble, directed by Hannaford, will perform with both guest clinicians. Kellogg will perform on trombone with the Jazz Ensemble on a few of her compositions and Schmehl will perform on “Sing, Sang, Sung.”

For information, contact NIC Director of Bands Bryan Hannaford at 208-769-3258 or email bryan.hannaford@nic.edu or Cardinal Voices Director Max Mendez at Max.Mendez@nic.edu or 208-769-3275.