Extensions, a jazz vocal sextet made up of members of the larger University of Miami Frost School of Music's award-winning Frost Jazz Vocal Ensemble 1, has been a part of the jazz vocal program since 1992. Distinguished over the years by several Downbeat awards and prestigious performances with artists such as Kurt Elling, Eliane Elias, Kevin Mahogany, Claudia Acuna, Jon Secada and many others, the group performs jazz in various styles including standards, swing, bebop, cool, funk and fusion, both with rhythm section and a capella. Extensions members are: Allessandra Levy, Taylor O'Donnell, Kathleen Hollingsworth, Michael Gullo, Tyler Bernhardt, John Splithoff, Matthew Flynn, Aaron Glueckauf, Matthew Ragonese and James Suter.
Larry Lapin, Director: Professor of Studio Music and Jazz and Program Director of Jazz Vocal Performance at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, Larry Lapin's students and ensembles ahve garnered 27 awards from Downbeat Magazine in DB's annual student music award competition. As a pianist, composer, and arranger, Lapin's experience as a player includes performances with jazz greats such as Cab Calloway, Gerry Mulligan, Bobby Shew, Johnny Smith, George Duvivier, and Sarah Vaughn. His compositions, arrangements and orchestrations are published by Sound Music Publications Jazz Press and are being performed by professional and student groups all over the country.
