Andrew Russo-Director of Music
:Just 30 years old, the Central New York native has consistently made a vivid impression wherever he has played. His recent appearances in Paris, Tokyo, Leipzig, Brussels and Luxembourg have received praise for their striking combination of "unbridled temperament with perfect control" (Mitteldeutsche Zeitung). Russo has particularly made a name for himself through an individual sense of programming that shares a 21st century sensibility with the audience.
As a Performing Artist in Residence, Russo will be available for individual instruction with advanced piano students and will assist in the College’s efforts to further develop its music curriculum and recruit adjunct faculty. On campus he will administer and expand the Music Journeys program, and make Music Journeys visiting artists more available to Le Moyne students in addition to the work they do in the public schools. One potential new initiative is a summer camp that would be started in 2006 to serve advanced high school students interested in American music. The position will also allow Russo to maintain his professional concert career and he will also play at certain Le Moyne functions.
Joanna Manring Director of Vocal Studies:
Joanna Manring just completed a doctorate at Peabody Conservatory where she studied with 20th-century music luminary Phyllis Bryn-Julson. Originally from Central New York, Manring earned a master’s degree from Syracuse University, where she studied with soprano Janet Brown and was the recipient of several teaching and administrative assistantships, the Marion Armstrong and Dennis Gilbert Awards in performance, and the Masters Prize in graduate research at Syracuse. Manring has performed with Syracuse Opera, Oswego Opera, the Skaneateles Festival, Music Journeys, Lake Placid Institute, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, and as a soloist with the New York Chorale at Weill Recital Hall. Recent performances include a recital of 20th century American music at Le Moyne College, opera scenes from Mozart's unfinished opera, “L'Oca del Cairo,” at Peabody's Opera Potpourri, and the role of "Eve" in Henry Mollicone's “Hotel Eden” with Peabody Chamber Opera.
Manring is an advocate of contemporary music, and has premiered song cycles by Josh Daniel Coles and Pomice Stoltzfus. She will be premiering a new opera by Faye Chiao in Peabody's Opera Études at the Theater Project in April and has commissioned a chamber piece for soprano, baritone and ensemble from Josh Daniel Coles, based on unpublished letters from Civil War soldier William Gurley and due to be premiered in 2006.
Visit www.joannasoprano.com
JC Sanford - Director of Jazz Studies:
J.C. Sanford will lead the Le Moyne College Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo as well as teach courses and private lessons. Manring will lead the Le Moyne College Singers as well as teach courses and private lessons. Both individuals will guide the development and vision of their particular area within the music program at Le Moyne College
Composer and trombonist JC Sanford completed a doctorate in jazz studies at New England Conservatory in 2001. At NEC, he studied with Bob Brookmeyer and conducted the NEC Little Big Band. A 1994 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, JC spent one year at Eastern Illinois University studying with legendary New Orleans jazz pianist Henry Butler before heading off to Boston to complete his master's degree at NEC. Other teachers at NEC included Danilo Pérez, George Russell, John McNeil, and John Mosca. In 2001-02 he was visiting artist-in-residence and director of jazz studies at Williams College. Sanford currently serves on the faculty at the Larchmont Music Academy.
Sanford leads the improvisational trio Triocracy with Andy Laster and Chris Bacas. He has also performed around the Boston and New York areas with Maria Schneider, Allan Chase, Chico & Arturo O'Farrill, the Andrew Rathbun Big Band, and the Mili Bermejo/George Schuller Octet. Sanford recently began a project with John McNeil and Andy Green that explores the music of The Shaggs and recorded with the Danilo Pérez Trio on the soundtrack to the movie "Hugo Pool" directed by Robert Downey.
As a composer/arranger/bandleader, Sanford co-leads the Schumacher/Sanford Sound Assembly with fellow Bob Brookmeyer disciple David Schumacher. In addition to his conducting duties with the Sound Assembly, he also conducts the Grammy nominated John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, the Chris Jentsch Group Large, and has guest conducted the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra, the Diane Moser Composers' Big Band, the Luther College Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Band, and the University of Northern Iowa Jazz Band I.
Sanford is a founding member of the composers' federation Pulse and has been a member of the BMI Jazz Composers' Workshop led by Jim McNeely and Mike Abene for five years. He has been commissioned by the University of Northern Iowa, NEC Jordan Winds, the Air Force Reserve Band of Georgia, The Skyline Brass Quintet (including a week long residency), Linn-Mar High School (Iowa), Fort Collins High School (Colorado), Kenosha Junior High School (Wisconsin), and Henry Butler. In 1996, he won the International Association of Jazz Educators of Massachusetts Composition Contest in the Big Band category with his extended work, “...In Marengo Suite.” He has recently written charts for the Dave Liebman Big Band and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra led by Arturo O'Farrill.
Visit www.jcsanford.com
Carol Jacobe- Director of the Le Moyne Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
Received her BA and MA in music at Syracuse University and has also studied formally with jazz educators Diana Spradling from Western Michigan University and David Riley from Ithaca College, New York. Ms. Jacobe, a conductor of All-County vocal jazz ensembles and workshops throughout New York State, is currently the chairperson for the New York All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble and an adjudicator for New York State Vocal Jazz. Currently, she is the choral director and Music Theory III instructor at Baker High School in Baldwinsville.
Robert Allen Vocal instructor :
Bob holds the Bachelor of Music in Sacred Music and Voice from William Carey College, where he studied conducting with Dr. Donald Winters and voice and vocal pedagogy with Josephine D’Arpa and Dr. Gene Winters, and the Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he studied with Karl Brock and Dr. Vivian Wood. The tenor also studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Salzburg Austria under Herr Rudolf Knoll. He is an active performer with many operatic and concert credits to his name. He received the Artist of the Year award for a singer in a featured role for his performance as Cassio in Verdi’s “Otello” for Syracuse Opera’s October 2004 production. Robert is also active as a choral conductor, leading choral/orchestral performances of major works with his choir at the DeWitt Community Church. He has been on the voice faculty at Syracuse University, and currently serves the Le Moyne College Singers as Moderator and Conductor. He also teaches studio voice and various other courses in the area of vocal music in the Performing Arts department at Le Moyne College.
Jerry Exline -B.M., M.M., Ph.D., Eastman School of Music.
William West- B.A. Durham University, M.F.A., M.A., Ph.D. Syracuse University