The members of Gold Company, both vocalists and instrumentalists, are students of Western Michigan University. The group is open for Music and non-Music majors through an audition process.
Influences
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Sounds Like
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About Gold Company:
GOLD COMPANY is the internationally regarded Jazz Show Vocal Entertainment ensemble from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, directed by Dr. Stephen Zegree. Members are selected by audition from Western’s enrollment of nearly 28,000 students. With 16 singers and an instrumental ensemble, Gold Company performs in every style from vocal jazz and show tunes to the hits of today. Their vocal jazz combines musicianship, vocal technique, and artistic sensitivity. Each singer must have the ability to “swing,” and to master the complex harmonies and rhythms of vocal jazz arrangements. Choreography and specialty acts are a part of Gold Company’s exciting, energetic, and dynamic presentation. Gold Company maintains an active performance schedule throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. The group has been selected numerous times as “Outstanding Vocal Jazz Ensemble” by the International Association for Jazz Education and has appeared at the national conventions of Music Fest Canada, the Music Educators National Conference, and the International Association for Jazz Education. They have also performed at the divisional convention of the American Choral Directors Association, the Midwest Music Conference, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, jazz festivals across the U.S. and Canada, Carnegie Hall, Wynton Marsalis' Jazz at the Lincoln Center and the 1st Annual Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Jazz Festival. Gold Company has appeared in concert with such guest artists as Bobby McFerrin, Rosemary Clooney, Rita Moreno, Jon Hendricks, Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman of the Singers Unlimited, and Janis Siegel of the Manhattan Transfer. Gold Company has also had the honor of performing arrangements specifically written for the group by talents such as Gene Puerling, Fred Hersch, Clare Fischer, Darmon Meader, Michele Weir, as well as Gold Company alumni Jennifer Shelton Barnes, Greg Jasperse, Matt Falker, Tim Brent, Derek Fawcett, Justin Avery, Justin Binek and others. The ensemble has been awarded over 40 “DB” awards from Down Beat magazine. In addition, the group has produced seven record albums and numerous demo tapes and videos for music publishing companies. Gold Company was one of twelve choral groups from five continents, and one of two from the United States, invited to perform at the 1993 World Symposium on choral music held in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was the only university ensemble and the only vocal jazz group to be so honored. Gold Company director Stephen Zegree is the Bobby McFerrin Professor of Music at WMU. Equally adept as a classical and jazz pianist, Dr. Zegree performs in the Western Jazz Quartet, a resident faculty ensemble. He has performed throughout the world as pianist, conductor, and clinician. His choral arrangements have been published by Hal Leonard, Shawnee Press, and Warner Bros., and he co-produced jazz vocalist Mark Murphy’s recording, “The Nat King Cole Songbook,” which was nominated for a Grammy award. Zegree is the author of “The Complete Guide to Teaching Vocal Jazz” (Heritage Music Press). A renowned educator, Dr. Zegree’s students are among today’s leaders in jazz and pop performance, Broadway, recording studio production, writing, arranging, singing, and music education. Gold Company performs under the auspices of the School of Music at Western Michigan University, which is part of the College of Fine Arts. The School, led by Director Richard O’Hearn, has a selective enrollment of 450 music majors who study with a full-time faculty of 41 artist-professors. Music degrees at the undergraduate and masters levels are offered in performance, music education, composition, jazz, therapy, and conducting, and are approved by the National Association of Schools of Music.
The Real Community is a place where you can meet your colleagues and friends from vocal groups and choirs from all around the world, promote your music, and listen to music made by other groups.
The Real Community is made for people coming from different parts of the vocal music world - singers, vocal ensembles, choirs, festival managers, booking representatives, conductors, composers, a cappella fans - everybody who has a connection to a cappella music.
Gold Company....Thank you all for such a wonderful festival this weekend! We had such a great time with you hearing all the great groups and sharing what we do with such a great audience!!!!
Your performance Saturday night was truly one of best that we've heard in a long time!!
Hello, Thanks for add... In year 1997 (I think), I did a workshop with Steve Zegree to "La Marlagne" in Belgium. It had come with students. It was my first contact with jazz and it was so great!. Véronique, from Belgium
