Bellevue jazz choir selected for 'Super Bowl'

Celebration!, the jazz choir at Bellevue Community College, is one of a handful of schools selected to perform in front of 7,000 jazz teachers next week at the nation's largest gathering of the global jazz community.

It appears ready.

At an afternoon dress rehearsal yesterday, the 21-member choir sang for fellow students and received congratulatory remarks as well as several rounds of applause.

It's a big deal for the choir. It is the only vocal group from the West Coast selected to perform at the 31st conference of the International Association of Jazz Education in New York and the only community college for the whole show.

The four other college jazz choirs selected to sing come from prestigious four-year colleges, such as the University of Miami, the Berklee College of Music, Howard University and The Juilliard School, said Tom Almli, Celebration's director.

The group leaves Monday.

"For college jazz students, this is equivalent to going to the Super Bowl," Almli said. "The selection process is extremely competitive."

The group sent a recording to a panel of judges in April and found out in August that it was selected. Students said it is a very high honor.

In addition to performing and attending seminars, the students said they will visit Ground Zero, see Broadway shows, attend the opera and, of course, frequent New York's jazz clubs.

The $300 registration fee for the conference was waived for the students and the budget for student services paid for two-thirds of their trip. Basically, the students just had to pay for their flights, Almli said.

The choir — a class called Vocal Jazz Music 105 — practices every day from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Members range in age from 17 to 24.

"This is a really big deal for a little community college," said Bob Adams, director of community relations. "We are proud of them."

The conference will host more than 7,000 attendees from 35 countries, including performers from South Africa, Australia, France, Japan, Canada, Finland, Sweden and Israel.

It is aimed at professional development, teacher training, scholarly exchange and to showcase the talents of outstanding student and professional soloists and ensembles.

Attendees include educators, musicians, record executives, exhibitors and enthusiasts.

The students may even get to meet acclaimed jazz artist Wynton Marsalis when he is awarded the international association's President's Award Wednesday night.

Leslie Fulbright: 206-515-5637 or lfulbright@seattletimes.com