Throughout her career, Kim has maintained an unwavering commitment to the importance of music education. Her continuous involvement in a wide variety of educational activities has led to Nazarian being awarded the “Jazz Educator of the Year 2023″ by the JEN organization (International Jazz Educator’s Network). She is the first female, and the first vocal jazz recipient of this prestigious honor.
As a dedicated teacher of vocal technique and the art of ensemble singing, Kim is one of the most sought after clinicians, guest conductors, and adjudicators at prestigious vocal festivals in the US and around the world. In recent years, in the US, Kim has conducted many All-State Vocal Jazz Choirs, including for the states of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Maine, California, and Illinois. Internationally, Nazarian has been representing the US as a judge for the International A Cappella Competition “vokal.total” in Graz, Austria since 2011, was a member of the 2017 jury at Vocal Asia, was an adjudicator for a highly acclaimed vocal festival in Korea, and has recently become a regular coach at the groundbreaking Black Forest Voices Festival in Germany. In the summer of 2022, she also became the first woman to head the jury of the A Cappella Competition in Aarhus, Denmark.
Recent International projects
Aarhus Vocal Festival, Denmark
First female head of the jury, biennial, https://aavf.dk/
Black Forest Voices Festival, Germany
Regular Coach, annual, https://blackforestvoices.com/
vokal.total Graz, Austria
Adjudicator, annual, https://vokaltotal.at/
Tuscany Vocal Experience, Italy
Vocal Teacher, annual
Vocal Asia, Taiwan/Korea
Adjudicator, https://vaf.vocalasia.com/
Tampere Vocal Music Festival, Finland
Adjudicator, https://tamperevocal.fi/
Europa Cantat, Slowenia
Artist, Coach, https://europeanchoralassociation.org/activities/ec-festival/
German Choral Competition, Deutschland
Adjudicator, quadrennial, https://www.deutscher-chorwettbewerb.de/
All State Vocal Jazz Ensembles
Conductor: Arizona, Colorado, New York, Washington, Illinois, California, Wisconsin, Iowa, Maine
Workshop topics that Nazarian regularly presents include:
1) Body, Breath & Sound
This is an interactive session, highlighting voice building, and healthy sound production. The objective is to find your own individual sound, and to make vocal concepts more tangible through imagery, connection to the body and breath support.
2) Do’s and Don’ts: Vocal Health and Maintenance
This class is based on a list of Homeopathic “Do’s and Don’ts” that have helped me out during a 31 year career of rigorous road life, demanding performances, lengthy recording sessions and non-stop teaching. The topics discussed range from diet to massage, with gargles, nettie pots, essential oils, elixirs, Armenian Chicken Soup, and environmental elements in between…………a survival kit of information for any singer.
3) Applying Vocal Technique to Jazz Harmony
Using the arrangement and composition ”Come Home” by all-rounder Peter Eldridge, founding member of the internationally acclaimed vocal group New York Voices and renowned singer-songwriter, vocalist, pianist, composer and arranger, Ms. Kim Nazarian provides you a demonstration of specific vocal exercises that build the voice in order to execute challenging pieces, like this one.
You will explore a direct application of vocal techniques to the challenging parts of a piece. Excellence through ecercies: go instantly from the practice room, to the stage, to the recording studio! Learn through exercises, techniques and the ambition to work on your skills – from the very best!
4) Bridging the gap between classical and jazz singing
Bridging the gap between Classical and Jazz Singing! This Workshop will focus on the similarities and differences of singing Classical music and Jazz repertoire. We will explore one classical voice, and one NYVoices recording and arrangement to analyze the tools used for both genres, and how it is possible to do both with the same instrument. Similar to ballet and tap, you must have the same foundation for the core, and then be able to execute varying skills.
5) Transitioning from a Classical Choir to a Jazz Choir
In this workshop we will utilize Darmon Meader’s arrangement of “Do Nothin’ ’til you Hear from Me” and apply all of the tools from our Vocal Jazz Tool Box! You will be surprised by the things you already know, and appreciate a trunk load of new information. We will turn singers into players, choirs into big bands, and equip singers with the same information that jazz instrumentalists have in abundance. Your new musical language and vocabulary will fill your glossary to the brim~~~ And your tool box will be complete with enough understanding to build the framework of any piece of music you attempt to assemble from the ground up; especially Jazz!
6) Coaching Soloists
7) The A,B,C’s of Listening to Jazz
A fun way to expose new audiences to Jazz. There’s something for everyone: female and male vocalists; instrumentalists, big band, World Music, Bossa Nova, etc. A Smorgasbord for the ears… an audio delight… an introduction of music I love, shared with passionate and critical listening!
8) “Know the chart, not just your part” using Darmon Meader’s arrangement of Moonglow
This is a detailed rehearsal workshop, designed to develop an ensemble’s awareness of the “whole picture.” This session will use Darmon Meader’s arrangement of “Moonglow.” You will break into sections and then sing through the chart in various combinations: women and men as two separate entities, sopranos & basses together, tenors & altos together, all to develop the ensemble’s understanding of the various harmonic and rhythmic relationships within the parts. By the time everyone is brought together, various important issues are fine tuned: matched vertical vowels, matched sound between the two genders, rhythm & time, swinging consonants, connection to lyric, dynamics, phrasing and style authenticity.
9) Making a song your own!
In this workshop, you will choose one of 2 American Songbook Standards and walk through the steps to “owning the music”. We will explore the personal connection to the lyric, make the rhythm conversational, embellish the melody, add reharmonization, experiment with various grooves, tempos and time signatures; and eventually implement different arranging ideas. As you work with the music you will discover what is important to you in the song, embrace the essence of the piece, and lift it off of the page. We will emphasize the musical tools of phrasing, dynamics, and improvisation. After we’ve covered some of this new territory, we will break into teams and create a unique version of each of the songs. Together, we will make a new musical statement and reinvent these tunes to encompass your own musical vision. I guarantee that if you contribute a part of yourself to the song, it will resonate with everyone. It’s also important to develop good quality material; because if you’re lucky, you may end up singing YOUR song for your entire career!
10) The Importance of Rhythm
This class will show various clips and corresponding exercises to inspire growth and development.
11) Circle Songs of Blues Heads/Rhythm Changes/Charlie Parker heads/Roditi Melodies – an introduction to the language of scatting
Learn the language of scat while you sight read and digest four different rhythm changes melodies ranging in difficulty (and without lyrics). This class emphasizes the teaching of instrumentally- influenced syllables to the singer who has never improvised before. Once you have these solid musical ideas floating through your brain, it’s a little easier to step out on your own! The trick in this class is getting everyone to subdivide exactly the same, so all four tunes swing simultaneously!!!
12) Feeling at Home on Stage
This class will take a look at our own individual stage frights and some personal perspectives on how to overcome our fears and let the music be our guide to success and comfort. Activities will entail conversation, personal revelation, and actual demonstration……..We will engage in breathing exercises, a meditation, and a group singing exercise that creates a sense of security. Participants will physicalize the bonds that connect us, and actually enjoy the freedom of movement. There will also be a list of Creative Vitamins to build together. This workshop was quite successful in its last incarnation—–It truly tailors itself to the people who partake…….an emotional experience as we release tensions and discover our own “vulnerable strength”.
What a relief to finally be back on the stage while we navigate this challenging pandemic. If we can manage to overcome Corona, we can certainly take on that which scares us in the performance arena. We will work in a safe environment, and inspire a supportive and positive, artistic community.
13) Tapping into your spirit with “Body and Soul”
In this special class we will be doing exercises, reciting readings, and doing meditations that allow us to take an internal journey. The purpose of this work is to drop inside ourselves, so we can explore and discover new levels of expression, new depths of freedom, and elements of ourselves that are hard to reach by traditional means. With each exercise, reading or meditation we will be learning a section of Body and Soul by ear, with a little guidance from the keyboard; thus, DIRECT APPLICATION of your own personal spirit informing your digestion of Body and Soul. I had a teacher who told me that every time you sing, you should release a piece of your soul. I think it feels good to sing from your gut. I’d like to help you all get to the bottom of your spiritual well; and allow your beautiful souls to spring forth like a musical geyser. Let’s learn Body and Soul together from the inside out!! Vulnerability at its best, all welcome.
14) The Art of Excellence
This brand-new class arose from a desire to help my students jump on a faster track to meet their potential. Of course, “excellence” is subjective; but after 37 years of world wide experience in the music industry, I’d like to help others break down a more immediate path to their success in music making. We will do exercises of vulnerability and inspiration, share examples, and create a community of musical conversation, acceptance, and risk taking. Hopefully, you will find that “still point” that either allows you to “hear the pin drop” in the room; or elevate your audience to their feet with a showstopper. Everyone should bring a tune that will raise the hairs on the back of my neck or give me goosebumps. Together, we’ll lift the standard to new heights!
15) Going Pro
This class is ideal for college students and young adults, where you’ll learn to transition from college to the real world with some serious consultation about your next steps as working musicians. Kim will offer her years of experience, answer questions, advise on present ongoing projects for ANYONE interested, and just get the round table discussion going. We all need our fears relieved and our confidence boosted. Let’s bounce around ideas and network at camp!
16) Borrowed Improvisation
I was fortunate enough to take a workshop with Rhiannon last summer, and want to share what I learned immediately. It’s based on the Bobby McFerrin school of thought with circle singing; but also includes real form, exercises, and games. I had so much fun and truly enjoyed this cathartic music making. Bottom line, “It’s all good!”
