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Sennheiser and Neumann Support New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp

For one glorious week in early August, all four members of the New York Voices, the preeminent vocal jazz ensemble of our time, and winners of numerous Grammys and other awards and accolades, provided instruction and inspiration to a diverse group of seventy singers from around the country and the world. Recognizing its importance, Sennheiser and Neumann supported the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp by supplying sixteen Sennheiser e 935 vocal microphones for use during the camp, providing a scholarship to participant Stacey Carter, and awarding a Neumann KMS 105 to outstanding soloist Brooke Lauritzen. Sennheiser's artist relations team was so impressed by Lauritzen that they named her the Sennheiser "Emerging Artist of the Month" for September 2009.

Even though this was just its first year, a truly diverse group of participants filled the camp to capacity. They came from the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Japan, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands. The youngest were in high school, whereas the oldest was just shy of seventy years old. Some were faculty, some were students, and some were professional singers with contracts and albums. Two things tied them together: a love of singing and a wonderful, supportive attitude.

"The New York Voices provided a lot of instruction and insight that would be hard to get from anyone else," said Theo Stiegler, camp manager. "But it was clear that the participants were learning from each other just as much. The whole place was infused with positive energy, and the main complaint that we received was that participants wanted more time to listen, sing, learn, practice, and share with New York Voices. That's a very encouraging sort of complaint!"

"We were thrilled to have Sennheiser and Neumann sponsoring our vocal jazz camp," said Lauren Kinhan, New York Voices alto. "It's important to have excellent equipment, and we were fortunate to have top-of-the-line mics so that our participants could put their best voice forward." The sixteen Sennheiser e 935 dynamic vocal mics resided on the "main stage," where participants learned and practiced a variety of vocal technique, ensemble singing, and vocal percussion, and also where they put on a final, end of camp concert.

Michigan State University School of Music graduate student, Stacey Carter, earned the Sennheiser scholarship that paid her way to the camp. With obvious talent (Carter won second place at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival's Vocal Jazz Competition 2009) New York Voices is proud to support her continued journey as an aspiring jazz vocalist.

By all accounts, Brooke Lauritzen was the very deserving winner of a Neumann KMS 105 live vocal condenser microphone for being an outstanding soloist and is featured on Sennheiser's artist microsite as the September "Emerging Artist of the Month". The native Illinoisan will continue her study of jazz as a freshman at Western Michigan University, and plans to record an inspired collection of jazz standards this coming winter. Like many of the participants, Lauritzen said that the Bowling Green State University New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp was a truly life-changing experience. Plans are already underway for next year's camp from August 2-8, 2010!

In picture: a Neumann KMS 105 was awarded to outstanding soloist, Brooke Lauritzen, at BGSU New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp.

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Sennheiser and Neumann Support New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp

5th October 2009

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