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Saturday, January 14th, 2023 2023 Jazz

Welcome to the 2023 Maine Jazz All-State Festival!

The Maine Music Educators Association is thrilled that you have joined us today as we honor these amazing musicians from across our state. An event of this magnitude takes months to plan and we are fortunate to have a healthy list of people to acknowledge.

Jazz Vice President George Redman of Bangor High School oversees all things jazz and works with our Instrumental Jazz Chair, Jason Priest of Hamden Academy, President-Elect, Matthew Waite of Stearns High School, and our Festival Chair, Rebecca Reed of Messalonskee High School.

The following ensemble managers have found some of the finest educators to work with your musicians: Kyle Smith, Honors Jazz Band; Ciara Hargrove, SATB Jazz Choir; Wendy Northrup, SSAA Choir; Jason Priest, Jazz Combo; and Craig Ouellette, Jazz Band.

Brian Hutchinson, Auditions Chair and retired music educator from Winslow, has worked behind the scenes to provide a platform and the technical support to run auditions in both a live & recorded format for Jazz and BOC All-State this year. Brian’s support is invaluable to our association.

Nothing would be possible without the work of our Executive Director, Beth LaBrie. Whether it be ordering music, making travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, bussing, meals, delivering T-shirts or keeping an eye on the bottom line, Beth works her magic on the business side of MMEA. Speaking of business, thank you to our Treasurer, Sarah Bailey of Greely High School for making sure our bills get paid.

William Bell, George Redman and Matt Tipton, music faculty and our hosts at Bangor High School, have not only graciously welcomed us to their facility, they have worked endless hours prior to this event to ensure a well-run, positive and safe festival for all participants. We appreciate the support provided by The Bangor School Department Administration: Dr. James Tager, Superintendent and Mr. Paul Butler, Principal; Ray Phinney Peakes Auditorium Staff; BHS Office Manager, Heather Hopkins; BHS Custodial Staff, John Deroche; BHS Library Staff, Nancy Watson and Brandy Gould; Bangor ROTC, Col. Darryl Lyons; and the BHS Jazz Band and Jazz Choir Volunteer Helpers.

To every Music Educator across the state of Maine, you inspire student musicians to attain a high level of performance and an enduring love of music. Your tireless work results in life-long learners who then pay it forward to the next generation of musicians.

A very huge thank you to parents, guardians, family, friends and community members. These musicians aren’t where they are without an amazing amount of support. As you know, the performing arts were hugely impacted by the pandemic and most schools are on a journey to rebuild programs. This process will be at least a five-year endeavor. Please be persistent in continuing to support your local programs even after today’s musicians graduate from high school. Contact your local school boards and administrators and voice your support for having these experiences for musicians continue.

Finally and most importantly, please join me in honoring these musicians and their efforts that culminate at this festival. The hours of practice, preparation and work from each musician is an accomplishment unto itself, but goes largely unseen and uncelebrated. We know the work is challenging, and the time and self-discipline to prepare is difficult to find. You may not have ever seen this perspective before, but you must realize that YOU are the reason we come to work each day. Your inspiration brings us to the music room as we seek collaboration in the universal language. There is no better way to spend the day than with you.

Musically, Andrew J. Forster President, MMEA

Devil May Care

Wisteria

Amazing Grace

2023 All-State Jazz SSAA Chorus

Taylor O’Donnell, Director

Colin Graebert, Accompanist

Wendy Northrup, Manager

Music and Lyrics by Bob Dorough and Terrell Kirk, Jr. arr. Kerry Marsh

Composed and arranged by the women of Säje

Composed by John Newton/Fox, arr. Jeremy Fox

2023 All-State Jazz SATB Chorus

Jeremy Fox, Director

Chris Humphrey, Accompanist

Ciara Hargrove, Manager

The Jody Grind

Route 66

Summertime

I’ll Be Seeing You

Let Your Light Shine

You Don’t Know What Love Is

Curro’s

Black Nightgown

Next Exit

Beautiful Love

You Love But Once

Blues in My Heart

Chucho

Bug Juice

C Jam Blues

Back Bone

The Coffee Queen

Horace Silver

Bobby Troup, Arr. Jeremy Fox

Gershwin/DuBose, Arr. Jeremy Fox

Irving Kahal and Sammy Fain, Arr. Phil Mattson

Keb’ Mo’/Jenny Yates, Arr. Jeremy Fox

2023 All-State Jazz Combo

Chris Oberholtzer, Director

Jason Priest, Manager

Gene DePaul and Don Raye arr. Slide Hampton

Donald Byrd arr. C. Oberholtzer

Gerry Mulligan arr. C. Oberholtzer

Pancho Sanchez

2023 All-State Jazz Band

Tom Lizotte, Director

Craig Ouellette, Manager

Victor Young, arranged by Terry White

Oliver Nelson

Benny Carter

Paquito D’Rivera, arranged by Terry White

2023 All-State Honors Jazz Band

John Mastroianni, Director

Kyle Smith, Manager

John Mastroianni

Duke Ellington; arranged by Michael Philip Mossman

Thad Jones; arr. By Mike Carubia

John Mastroianni

Soprano

2023 All-State Jazz SSAA Chorus

Tessa Hayashida - Edward Little HS

Mia Cyr - Yarmouth HS

Nina Emery - Bucksport HS

Chloe Troy - Yarmouth HS

Kayla Massey - Poland Regional HS

Madelynn Wohlford - Messalonskee HS

Hazel Goodwin - Brunswick HS

Fiona Brandt - Hall-Dale HS

Rhythm Section

Alto

Annabelle Brooks - Cheverus HS

Abby Scott - Hampden Academy

Marisa Schultz - Mount Ararat HS

Marguerite Benham - Brunswick HS

Maggie Bell - Caribou HS

Zöe Daigle - Fryeburg Academy

Alexis Scott - Hampden Academy

Bass: Cass MacCarthy - North Yarmouth Academy

Guitar: Payson Turner - Mattanawcook Academy

Drums: Brody Belanger - Brunswick HS

2023 All-State Jazz SATB Chorus

Soprano

Evelyn LaCroix - Skowhegan Area HS

Lily Pollock - Greely HS

Marta Weinstein - Maine Central Institute

Mia Eason - Mount Desert Island HS

Ella Metivier - Falmouth HS

Elsie Canon - Falmouth HS

Marinna Emery - Greely HS

Ellis Noetzel - Brunswick HS

Alto

August Flynn - Yarmouth HS

Emily LaChapelle - Maine Arts Academy

Lillie Driscoll - Brunswick HS

Kathryn Williams - Falmouth HS

Alexa DeWitt - Waterville Senior HS

Oliver Black - Falmouth HS

Maya Patten - Skowhegan Area HS

Kacey-Jane Clark - Fryeburg Academy

Tenor

Khang Nguyen Tran - Fryeburg Academy

Jaden Nicita - Brunswick HS

Ethan Cross - Hall-Dale HS

Anthony Vasquez - Westbrook HS

Kasper Birgfeld - Hall-Dale HS

Ly Dillon - Mount Desert Island HS

Reuben Saffer-Meng - South Portland HS

Logan Peters - Falmouth HS

Bass

Jacob Piche - Bonny Eagle HS

Lucas Benedict - Westbrook HS

Corbin Richter - Cheverus HS

Riley Jackson - Brunswick HS

James Lawson - Maine Arts Academy

Kevin Lucy - Fryeburg Academy

Nigel Thurston - Messalonskee HS

Brian Lucy - Fryeburg Academy

Rhythm Section

Guitar: August Watson - South Portland High School

Bass: Ash Fecteau - Noble High School

Drums: David Dealaman - Yarmouth High School

2022 All-State Jazz Combo

Alto Saxophone: Cooper Swartzentruber - Lincoln Academy

Tenor

Saxophone: William Travis - Bonny Eagle HS

Baritone Saxophone: Max Polsky - Waynflete School

Trumpet: Arlo Shargo - Cony HS

Trombone: Zane Roggenbuck - Orono HS

Piano: Simon Webber - Westbrook HS

Guitar: Owen Field - Hampden Academy

Bass: Austin Chandler - George Stevens Academy

Drums: Miles Plummer - Noble HS

2023 All-State Jazz Band

Saxophone

Lead Alto: Luke Vazdauskas - Brunswick HS

2nd: Kalen Hixson - Camden Hills Regional HS

Lead Tenor: Ella Bergeron - Mount Ararat HS

2nd: Isaac Dobson - Gorham HS

Bari: Gabriel Badeau - Gorham HS

Trombone

Lead: Mia Khavari - John Bapst Memorial HS

2nd: Dylan Bauer - Gorham HS

3rd: Saihajpreet Kohli - Falmouth HS

4th: Nelson Kebokere - South Portland HS

Trumpet

Lead: Ashton Kinney - Westbrook HS

2nd: Jack Arey - Greely HS

3rd: Dylan Courtney - Bucksport HS

4th: Shaelie Kiefer - Westbrook HS

5th: Evan Rowell - Maine Central Institute

6th: Trew Thomas - Hampden Academy

Rhythm Section

Piano: Charlie Moore - Greely HS

Guitar: Ben Marchessault - Greely HS

Bass: Aiden Fiori - Mount Ararat HS

Drums: Tony Esposito - George Stevens Academy

2023 All-State Honors Jazz Band

Saxophone

Lead Alto: Griffin Gillis - Fryeburg Academy

2nd: Samara Tan - Greely HS

Lead Tenor: Liam Card - Lincoln Academy

2nd: Bryan Wiers - Maine Central Institute

Bari: Grayson Needham - Massabesic HS

Trombone

Lead: Teddy Fellows - Scarborough HS

2nd: Soleil Huang-Dale - Fryeburg Academy

3rd: Isaac Benn - Westbrook HS

Bass: Wyatt Stone - Lincoln Academy

Trumpet

Lead: Jonathon Mathieu - Mount Desert Island HS

2nd: Nicholas Theodores - Greely HS

3rd: Turner Simis - Mount Desert Island HS

4th: Simon Zhang - Mount Desert Island HS

5th: Quinn Hagerty - Fryeburg Academy

Rhythm Section

Piano: Claudia Dunn - Cony HS

Guitar: Andy Hipsky - George Stevens Academy

Bass: Joquin Peterson-Bonville - Yarmouth HS

Drums: Howard Saffer-Meng - South Portland HS

Taylor O’Donnell

Acclaimed jazz vocalist, songwriter, and educator, Taylor O’Donnell performs with her most recent trio using her origins in

R&B, jazz, rock, and roots to sing with raw passion and dexterity. Her extensive repertoire includes music derived from jazz, rock, and roots styles to arrangements of beloved jazz standards and pop hits. Known for her exploratory use of vocal timbre and texture, her shows take listeners on a deep dive through the world of Joni Mitchell, free improvisation, rock & roll, lullabies, and original song.

As an educator, she serves as Assistant Professor of Voice at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and holds a private voice studio in South Berwick, Maine. Highlights of Taylor’s career have been an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show working with producer David Foster, performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in NYC, collaborations with Grammy award win-

ning producer Rudy Perez, and served as the 2020 Guest Artist with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra. Past projects include works with the improvisational visual art/jazz workshop and performance group, “In Ears ‘N Eyes,” her original electronica duo Novel/Novella, and the beloved Dover-based retro-soul band, Mother Superior & The Sliding Royales. Other ongoing endeavors include Boston-based vocal group Vintage Vocal Quartet, duo performances with pianists Jed Wilson and Mike Effenberger, and her self-titled project featuring Taylor on electronic keyboards, electric guitar, and voice with Chris Klaxton on drums and Jimmy Clark on bass. Taylor lives in South Berwick, Maine with her husband, two cats, and one year old little girl.

Colin Graebert

Colin Graebert is a choral conductor, accompanist, jazz pianist, and singer currently serving as the Director of Vocal Music at John Bapst Memorial High School, accompanist and choir director at the North Brewer-Eddington United Methodist Church, and the accompanist of the Bagaduce Chorale and Bangor Area Youth Choirs. His career has taken him all over New England and abroad as a performer and clinician,

most recently in Rome, Italy. He studied jazz piano at the Berklee College of Music and received his B.M. in Music Education at the University of Maine and his M.M. in Conducting from Messiah University. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Association for Music Education. He resides in Stockton Springs with his wife, Hilary, and their two children, Eric and Ruth.

Dr. Jeremy Fox

Grammy-nominated Dr. Jeremy Fox is a highly in-demand clinician, presenting clinics and serving as guest conductor of All-State vocal and instrumental ensembles throughout the U.S. and Canada. He earned his B.M. degree in Piano/Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University, and his M.M. and D.M.A. in Jazz Composition from the University of Miami. After his Doctoral studies, Jeremy served for one year as a Visiting Professor of Jazz Voice at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, but has since returned as a full-time instructor at The School for Music Vocations (www. SchoolForMusicVocations.com) in Creston, Iowa – one of the only 2-year vocational music programs specializing in Jazz and Contemporary Popular Musics.

This July, Jeremy will run his 20th Annual SMV Vocal Jazz Camp (www.VocalJazzCamp.com) in Creston, Iowa. Since 2008, he has also coordinated in-person and online retreats to empower students and music educators called the Jazz Harmony Retreat (www.JazzHarmonyRetreat.com).

And each spring, Jeremy directs the SMV Vocal Jazz Festival, an annual event which has drawn educators, ensembles, and students from around the world. In early March 2023, Jeremy andhis SMV colleagues host the festival joined by Kerry Marsh, Rosana Eckert, Aubrey Johnson, and Matt Falker. (www.VocalJazzFest.com)

And in March 2024, Jeremy will organize the second biennial SMV säje vocal fest in Creston, Iowa— based around the vocal supergroup that includes Sara Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Johnaye Kendrick and Erin Bentlage.

Jeremy has himself received 11

awards from Downbeat magazine, including awards for: Best Written Song, Best Arrangement, and Studio Engineering. Jeremy’s arrangements are published on his www.JeremyFox. net website, as well as with iJazzMusic.com, Alfred Music, Sheet Music Plus, Anchor Music Publications, UNC Jazz Press, as well as on his own website. He has written for such artists as: Kate McGarry, Take 6, Theo Bleckmann, The Real Group, Cadence, m-pact, Terence Blanchard, John Secada, and Metropolitan Opera singers Eric Owens and Denyce Graves. He is the musical director for “Bossa Nova Sinfónico”, which sets to orchestra the bossa nova music of Antonio Carlos Jobim. He has conducted the show with the Costa Rican National Orchestra, the Symphonic Orchestra of

Campeche and Coyoacán, and the National Symphonic Orchestra of Cuba. He has also twice acted as the guest conductor for the Henry Mancini Institute Jazz Orchestra, based in Miami. Jeremy’s inaugural album was entitled “With Love” and features his big band and orchestral arrangements for a phenomenal line-up of singers, including Rose Max and Ramatis Moraes, Kate Reid, Kate McGarry, Lauren Kinhan and Peter Eldridge (from the New York Voices), Anders Edenroth (from The Real Group), Derek Fawcett, Wendy Pedersen, Sunny Wilkinson, and Kevin Mahogany. His arrangement of “All My Tomorrows” featuring Kate McGarry was nominated for “Best Arrangement – Instruments and Vocals” at the 57th Annual GrammyTM Awards.

Chris Humphrey

Chris Humphrey is a musician who is multi-faceted in his talents and accomplishments. A jazz vocalist, whose primary focus is the use of the voice as an instrument, Chris is an improviser and composer as well as an interpreter of song.

He is a veteran jazz singer, having worked with Denon recording artists, The Ritz, and the vocal jazz quintet, Vocalease. With The Ritz, he recorded the CD Almost Blue on the Denon label, which featured Humphrey’s singing, composing, and arranging talents.

As a soloist, Mr. Humphrey has been dubbed an "outstanding talent" -Sheila Jordan; and "a creative force” - Roberta Davis; by critics and performers who have heard his work. He has performed at Blue Note Jazz Clubs in New York, Tokyo, Jakarta, and Fukuoka, Japan. He has also appeared at numerous jazz

Tom Lizotte

Thomas Lizotte retired in 2019 as director of bands at Cape Elizabeth High School, Cape Elizabeth, ME., where he served for 17 years. He was a high

festivals throughout the United States and abroad.

His debut CD as a leader, Nothing but Blue Sky was released on Cadence Jazz Records with acclaimed drummer Matt Wilson, bassist Martin Wind and pianist Mark Shilansky. Together the ensemble creates a vivid tapestry of textures and technique among tastefully selected standards and well-crafted Humphrey originals.

Humphrey has been a jazz educator for 35 years, having taught at the HS, and college levels. He taught at the University of New Hampshire with the great Clark Terry, whose compositions and solos are the subject of his latest labor of love, The Clark Terry

Project. Chris is working with jazz drummer Les Harris, who has newly lyricized 23 of Clark’s compositions and improvised solos. A recording is in process.

In addition to his tenure at the University of NH, Humphrey has taught at Bowdoin, the University of Southern Maine and currently teaches at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, Maine.

school band director in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Florida for 32 years. The Cape jazz program had three jazz ensembles and four comwbos and was a frequently honored ensemble at state events and the Berklee High School Jazz Festival. In a school of less than 550 students, 140 participated in band.

A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with degrees in music education (BA) and wind conducting (MA), he is a member of three teaching halls of fame, including Maine Music Educators’ Association. He is the 2019 recipient of the John LaPorta Award, given by Berklee College of Music and the Jazz Education Network as public school music educator of the year. He is

also the recipient of the 20202021 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Massachusetts Association of Jazz Educators for outstanding contributions to scholastic jazz education.

He is an active adjudicator and clinician, having conducted jazz and concert band honors ensembles in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has presented all-state clinics on using jazz to teach social justice, jazz programming, Duke Ellington, jazz improvisation and classroom management. He is chief music judge for the Massachusetts Judges Association. A frequent writer on educational subjects, Lizotte is a contributor to The Instrumentalist, School Band and Orchestra and JazzEd magazine.

Dr. Chris Oberholtzer

Dr. Christopher Oberholtzer, Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Southern Maine, completed his Doctor of Arts degree in Trombone Performance/Pedagogy with a Secondary Emphasis in Jazz Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. Chris earned his Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies with a Cognate Field of Trombone Performance from Indiana University, Bloomington, and his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of Southern Maine, Gorham.

As a professor and director of jazz studies at USM, Chris leads a thriving program that is recognized as being one of the leading college jazz programs in New England. In addition to his USM

teaching responsibilities, Chris also enjoys actively serving throughout the country as a guest artist, director and/or clinician for numerous high school and college jazz ensembles, including All-State and Honors Festivals in Colorado, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington. Other major appearances include those at universities such as the University of Northern Colorado, Brevard College (North Carolina), Ball State University, Eastern Washington University and Utah State University. Chris’ performance credits also include international festivals such as the (Newport) JVC Jazz Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Chris maintains a busy schedule as a professional freelance trombonist. He has performed, toured and recorded throughout the country and abroad with many groups in varying classical, jazz and commercial genres. His playing experience includes touring with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Ringling Brothers Circus, Toni Tenille the Capitol Jazz Orchestra and Holland America cruise lines. Other performing credits include working with artists and/or bands such as the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, the Benny Goodman Orchestra, Tony Bennett, Claudio Roditi, Wayne Bergeron, the New York Voices, Conrad Herwig, Brian Lynch, Byron Stripling, Phil Wilson, Wycliff Gordon, Ronie Cuber, Frank Wess, Bob Mintzer, Herb Pomeroy, Richie Cole, Dick Johnson, Aaron Neville, Roberta Flack and the Temptations.

Serving as Musical Director of the Portland Jazz Orchestra, Chris is quite busy with the details of leading a regionally active big band. The Portland Jazz Orchestra is a contemporary big band staffed by jazz professionals, many of whom are also music educators, from the northern New England area. Playing music from the classic libraries of the Count Basie Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra and the Woody Herman Orchestra, the PJO also enjoys performing more contemporary big band literature from prominent writers such as Gordon Goodwin, Tom Kubis and Maria Schneider. In addition, the PJO focuses on performing original compositions and arrangements written by its own band members. Many of these compositions are published and are highly regarded on a national level. As a clinician for the Conn-Selmer Corporation, Chris performs on Bach trombones.

J John Mastroianni

ohn Mastroianni has performed as a professional musician since he was fifteen years old. His talents as a saxophonist, woodwind doubler, composer, and arranger have led him to a diversity of musical experiences.

John earned a B.S. in Music Education and a B.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of Bridgeport, an M.A. in Jazz Performance/Composition from New York University, and an Administrative Certification (092) from the University of Bridgeport. He has studied saxophone with Phil Woods, Dick Oatts, Joe Lovano, and Gary Klein, and composition with Jim McNeely, Bill Finegan, Tom Boras, Neil Slater, and Mike Carubia.

John has performed, toured and/ or recorded with artists such as Mel Lewis, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Smokey Robinson, Louie Bellson, Charli Persip and Supersound, Harvie Swartz, Jim McNeely, Jay Leonhart, Rufus Reid, Gerry Mulligan, Lew Anderson, Clint Holmes, Roger Kellaway, the Glenn Miller Band, Sonny Costanzo, Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Donna Summer, Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow, Nick Brignola, the New England Jazz Ensemble, and many others! He also has performed with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Norwalk, New Haven, Waterbury, and Hartford Symphonies, and at the Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Shubert, Palace, Goodspeed Opera House and Oakdale theaters. John also played in the orchestra for the Broadway (NYC) production of “Three Penny Opera,” and has been a featured artist at the New England Saxophone Symposium.

John’s three recordings as a leader, entitled Cookin’ On All Burners (Stash), The Time Being (Jazz Alliance), and Live at the Silvermine (Jazzheads), have all

earned him critical acclaim. He is also a featured soloist and composer/arranger on the New England Jazz Ensemble recordings, Version 3.0 (Brownstone), Storm Before the Calm (Sea Breeze), Wishes You a Cookin’ Christmas (Sea Breeze), Live at the Pittsfield Jazz Festival (Sea Breeze), It’s a Grand Night for Swinging (NEJE), and Peter and the Wolf (NEJE).

In addition to being a free-lance musician, John performs with his own quartet and leads his own sixteen-piece jazz orchestra that he composes and arranges all of the music for. John’s music has been performed and recorded by his quartet and jazz orchestra, the Sonny Costanzo Big Band, the John Allmark Jazz Orchestra, the Army Blues Band (Washington D.C.), the New England Jazz Ensemble, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, DIVA, and many high school, college, and professional jazz ensembles throughout the United States. His big band charts are published by Walrus Music Publishing and Barnhouse/Smart Chart Music Publications and are currently available through Barnhouse and ejazzlines.com.

John has taught at New York University, Albertus Magnus College, the University of Bridgeport, the New York State Summer School for the Arts, Bridgeport Central High School, New Canaan High School, Hall High School, the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School of Music, and for the Canton Public Schools. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in Residence of Jazz Studies and Associated Department Head for Undergraduate Studies at the University of Connecticut and the founder and music director of the Young Artists Summer Jazz Workshop. In December 2002, John was named by SBO Magazine as one of 50

directors in the United States that “make a difference,” and in March 2004, John was chosen by the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) as the Secondary School Teacher of the Year. In 2010, he was honored by Starthmore’s Who’s Who as an individual who has demonstrated leadership and achievement in his profession. John was chosen as the 2013-14 West Hartford Public Schools Teacher of the Year, and he is a three-time Music Educator GRAMMY nominee. He was honored by the University of Bridgeport as a 2014 Distinguished Alumni. In 2018, the New England Jazz Ensemble recording of Peter and the Wolf received a Golden Globe Music Award, and in 2019, John’s composition Power Serge was an Independent Music Award nominee in the Jazz Instrumental category. John was named and honored as the UConn 2021 Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year, and John was named and honored as the 2014 Connecticut Teacher of the Year!