In Vocal Jazz Ensemble, students have the opportunity to finesse such professionally demanding skills as: diaphragmatic breathing, proper vocal placement, blending with other singers, vowel and diction clarification, and sight singing, as well as having fun singing beautiful and challenging music as a group. VJE will sing works by such renowned arrangers as Darmon Meader, Dave Lambert, Gene Puerling, Phil Mattson and Michelle Weir, as well as up and coming arrangers such as Dylan Pramuk (NS Jazz BFA 2009), Robert Lepley and Pamela Watson. Student compositions and arrangements are welcome as are A Capella pieces. Choral singing is an important skill for any professional singer. There is paying work for singers who have good choral chops, from church and synagogue gigs to jingles to film scores to vocal jazz and a Capella performing groups, and Broadway shows as well. VJE will culminate in a concert in the New School Performance Space at the end of the semester. Come and join the fun! Open to all vocalists and instrumentalists-no audition required.