Learning to write a well-crafted composition that highlights your individual style and voice takes talent, discipline, hands-on practice, and an artistic space—a place that embraces tradition and innovation where mentorship happens and creativity flourishes.
No other platform can illustrate this best than this year’s DownBeat Magazine’s June edition. It showcases the 46th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards, featuring the latest crop of young artists rising to the top of the music industry. It’s no surprise that inside this 120-page spread are the names of some of our best Frost-built students.
“DownBeat is the most recognizable publication in Jazz,” says Program Director for the Studio Jazz Writing and Assistant Professor of Studio Music and Jazz, Stephen James Guerra, Jr. “Being recognized is truly an honor. However, while winning a student music award from Downbeat doesn’t define students, it validates all their hard work, intense study, and unique creative voices.”
Like other Frost programs, Studio Jazz Writing is supported by faculty members like Guerra, who are creating musicians with the artistic, technological, and entrepreneurial skills necessary to thrive in the rapidly changing world of professional music.
“The Studio Jazz Writing program has always highlighted the skills it takes to have a productive career as a composer, arranger, or educator,” explains Guerra. He sees strong fundamental writing as the core of the program, which places significant emphasis on allowing students to explore their creative voice and works that nurture individuality.
Throughout the year, his students write for ensembles of various sizes throughout the school representing multiple genres and traditions. These facilitate experiences for large and small jazz ensembles, chamber ensembles, jazz choirs, new music ensembles, and of course, the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.
“The fact that two of our students won student music awards for Recording/Engineering is evidence of how well-rounded the program really is,” adds Guerra. It’s also no surprise that five of the DownBeat Music Student Awards winners are from the Studio Jazz Writing program.
Studio Jazz Writing Program Winners
[For the complete list of Frost student winners, click here.]
1. Graduate College Outstanding Arrangement–VocalJazz Arrangement
Daniel Fiamengo, “Mind to Fly”
2. Graduate College Outstanding Arrangements–Big Band
Gary (Kaiji) Wang, “Frosty the Snowman”
3. Graduate College Outstanding Arrangements–Big Band
Kevin Zapata, “Delfeayo’s Dilemma”
4. Graduate College Outstanding Arrangements–Studio Orchestra
Thomas Wenglinski, “Recuerdame (Remember Me)”
Graduate College Winner–Engineered Live Recording
Thomas Wenglinski
5. Graduate College Outstanding Recording
Engineered Live Recording
Kevin Zapata
Wenglinski just finished his first year of his DMA in Jazz Composition. Zapata and Fiamengo recently graduated with their master’s in Studio Jazz Writing. Wang finished his second year of his DMA in Jazz Composition and has been the recipient of several distinguished awards: winner of the Bridges Composition Competition sponsored by The Ravinia Steans Music Institute, Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards, and the prestigious ASCAP Foundation Johnny Mandel Prize.
Other Studio Jazz Writing students are making headlines, like DMA student Craig Peaslee, who was awarded the Frost School’s, Presser Grant. DMA student Carolina Calvache has performed on several major releases, including Chilean vocalist Claudia Acuña, featuring Fred Hersch, Regina Carter, Russell Malone, and Christian McBride.
A few months ago, flutist Nestor Torres heard Calvache’s arrangement for the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra concert featuring the music of Tito Puente. Torres then contacted Calvache to collaborate on a concert with the Florida Youth Orchestra.
Last week, Calvache performed with her quartet at the Dizzy's Jazz Club in Lincoln Center in New York City as part of the SONiC Festival, a production of the American Composers Orchestra. Trombonist Jennifer Wharton also commissioned her to write a piece for her ensemble Bonegasm, featuring John Fedchock, among other New York-based musicians. The music will be released in September.
"Frost School of Music is a place that embraces tradition and innovation,” says Calvache. “Writing for the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra lets me immerse myself in my passion for jazz, classical, and Latin American traditions. Frost is all about collaboration and diversity, merging different musical worlds. The school offers so many tools and opportunities for writers to become versatile musicians, and that is what it is all about, being ready for the real world.”
Guerra enjoys elevating his students. With each student music award, ensemble, performance, and job offer, he sees them one step closer to a bright future, which in turn shines a light on the Studio Jazz Writing program.
“Because DownBeat Magazine regularly recognizes our students, receive commissions and grants, record prolifically, and are writing professionally, we enjoy a strong reputation among university-level composition programs,” says Guerra. “Most importantly, our students are writing creative music that highlights their individual voices whether they are winning awards or not.”
