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Brad Rees serves as Executive Director of Arts Programs at Tiffin University, where he coordinates TU's commercial music degree programs, manages performing, visual and media arts programs, directs the award-winning a cappella ensemble Up in the Air, conducts the University Choir, and teaches voice, music theory, and music production & engineering. A leader in contemporary a cappella and vocal jazz education for more than two decades, Brad has served as the Assistant Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Northern Colorado, on the faculty at Iowa's School for Music Vocations, and on the jazz faculty at Bowling Green State University.
A frequent clinician at vocal music festivals across the US and Canada, he is a regular judge for a cappella and show choir competitions throughout the Midwest, and has served on the faculty of Halewyn Jazz Workshop in Belgium and many other summer workshops and camps. His ensembles have appeared across the United States and Canada, at the Vocalmente Festival in Italy, Salzburg Music Festival in Austria, at the United Nations in New York and Geneva, and on tour in the Republic of China, Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, and South Africa. His choirs have also performed on several national TV broadcasts. His own performing credits include appearances with Ben Folds, serving as background singer and vocal director, Michael McDonald, Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra, Joe Williams, George Shearing, African gospel artist Rebecca Malope, and many others. He sang with the Grammy-nominated vocal jazz quintet, The Axidentals, with Phil Mattson’s Voices, and in residence at the Smithsonian Institution. He also served as an editor at UNC Jazz Press, working directly with Ward Swingle on publishing his vocal jazz arrangement catalog. Brad is holds degrees in choral conducting, voice, music education and public relations, and is an alum of Boston University, the University of Northern Colorado, Western Michigan University and George Mason University. He has served in leadership positions for the Ohio chapters of IAJE and ACDA, and his compositions and arrangements are available through UNC Jazz Press and TiffinMusic Publications. Contact: brees@tiffin.edu “Brad is really on it. “He certainly knows his way around audio and the requirements for his group. A lot of choir directors don’t — it’s not their expertise — but he knows the production value, what’s important for them to be able to hear, and how best to put what they do in a good light. And his arrangements are really good.”
-- Michael McDonald, 5x Grammy-winner, Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan "Brad Rees is such a valuable resource to the vocal jazz educator. He accomplishes so much during each of his visits and my students eagerly soak up every technique/strategy he offers. Brad is efficient, articulate, exceptionally knowledgeable in his field, (and) truly supportive of fellow educators and represents the vocal jazz art form with grace and dignity." -- Sally Schneider, Akron School of the Arts, Firestone HS (OH) "I absolutely love Brad's groups... (they're) 'Urban Jazz'! Elements of everything fused together to make... MUSIC! The level of musicality is very high, and the concept and sound are better than anything I've heard in a long time." -- Sunny Wilkinson, jazz recording artist "Brad Rees is a top-notch music educator." -- Deke Sharon |
EDUCATION
Boston University Certificate for Advanced Graduate Study in Music Education, with honors University of Northern Colorado Master of Music in Choral Conducting Graduate Jazz Pedagogy Study George Mason University Bachelor of Arts, Music - Vocal Performance Bachelor of Arts in Communication, PR AREAS OF EXPERTISE Vocal Jazz Education Contemporary A Cappella Choral Conducting Audio Engineering Recording Studio Production Choral & Vocal Arranging Vocal Health & Pedagogy Curriculum Development Higher Education Administration University Recruitment Public Relations Music Festival Administration Artist Management TEACHING & DIRECTING EXPERIENCE Tiffin University (OH) Bowling Green State Univ. (OH) University of Northern Colorado School for Music Vocations (IA) George Mason University (VA) COURSES TAUGHT Music Theory & Arranging Vocal Jazz Ensembles Choral Ensembles Voice Instruction Recording Studio Performance Audio Engineering & Production Vocal Jazz Pedagogy Music Business Arts Management Public Relations CLINICIAN/ADJUDICATOR/TEACHER Colorado All-State Jazz Choir Indiana All-State Vocal Jazz Ens. ACDA National Convention (Dallas) IAJE National Conventions (3x) Vocalmente Festival, Italy Halewyn Jazz Workshop, Belgium UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival George Mason Jazz Festival Millikin Univ. Vocal Jazz Fest (IL) National A Cappella Convention ICCA & ICHSA Competitions Voices In Harmony Festival Kettering A Cappella Festival Iowa Vocal Jazz Championships Manitoba Choral Festival PMEA D6 VJ Ensemble Director Hancock Co Honors Choir Director ACDA Regional Conventions (4x) TiffinMusic Summer Camps (20 yrs) Ohio Beatbox Battle OMEA Conference (11x presenter) Bishop Luers HS (15+ yrs) Kettering Fairmont HS (10+ yrs) Findlay HS (15+ yrs) Fairfield-Union Jazz Fest (OH) Firestone HS (Akron OH) Nordonia HS (Macedonia OH) Winton Woods HS (Cincinnati OH) Cuyahoga Falls HS (OH) Brush HS (Lyndhurst OH) Snider HS Jazz Fest (IN) Seneca County MS Chorus (OH) University of Dayton (OH) OMEA D3 Conference (Lima OH) Hartwick College (NY) Choral Fest Naperville HS VJ Fest (IL) Tri-C Jazz Fest (Cleveland OH) Capital U MLK Guest Conductor OCDA Summer Conference Northview HS (Sylvania, OH) MAC8 Hon.Choir (Cleveland OH) Lakewood HS (Lakewood OH) Thornton HS (Thornton, CO) Air Academy HS (Co Springs CO) Littleton HS (Littleton, CO) CHSAA Vocal Jazz (CoSprings CO) Columbia Jazz Fest (Sonora, CA) ACDA N. Central (Mnpls, MN) SWCC Jazz Camp (IA) Hoover HS (Des Moines IA) Phil Mattson Workshop (IA, MI, CA) |
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