The Latest News
ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, a collaborative music and visual arts project by School of Fine Arts faculty members Deborah Dancy, Earl MacDonald and videographer Ted Efremoff was presented on Thursday 1/26/2012 at 7:30 PM in the Classroom Building of the UConn Storrs campus.
Earl served as a clinician at the New Hampshire Band Directors Association Clinic in Hollis, NH on 1/21/2012.

Hartford Advocate 2011 Grand Band Slam Winners

We won! The Hartford Jazz Society's New Directions Ensemble was selected by the readers of the Hartford Advocate as Hartford's best jazz group in the 2011 Grand Band Slam!  Thanks to our many friends who voted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earl was a finalist in the ArtEZ Composition Contest at the 2011 International Jazz Festival Enschede in the Netherlands.  His new composition, "Faith Autopsy" was debuted on June 12th, by the Millennium Jazz Orchestra, directed by Joan Reinders.  The performance / competition took place at Theatre Concordia, Enschede, Holland.

 

Enschede Jazz Festival







The five international finalists were:


Each composer will attended the final rehearsal (on June 11th) and worked directly with the ensemble.  The competition took place the next day and was judged by an international jury.  They selected Alan Chan's composition as the winner.

Earl's composition, "Bad Dream", was selected as the winner in the jazz song category of the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards.

IMA winnerThe panel of judges included McCoy Tyner, Arturo Sandoval, Vijay Iyer, Arturo O'Farrill and Lee Ritenour.  The IMAs also offers a Vox Populi "voice of the people" award where fans and visitors determine the winners. Vote for Earl.

Recent interviews and articles about Earl's IMA Award and Juno nomination can be read in the following publications: McGill News, UConn Today, IMA arstist interview, and Mount Royal University's web site.

Juno NomineeEarl's latest CD, "re:Visions - works for jazz orchestra" received a 2011 Juno Award nomination for "Best Traditional Jazz Album of the Year". (For those who don't know, the Junos are the Canadian equivalent to the Grammy Awards.)  Earl and his wife Jana enjoyed the festivities in Toronto in March, but unfortunately did not bring home the (Canadian) bacon.  Congratulations go to John McLeod's Rex Hotel Orchestra.