2023
The 2023 SMV Vocal Jazz Fest will be held at the School for Music Vocations, on the Southwestern Community College campus, in Creston. Special guests will include Rosana Eckert, vocalist from Dallas; Matt Falker, pianist from San Diego; Aubrey Johnson, vocalist from New York; and Kerry Marsh, internationally renowned arranger.
During the SMV Vocal Jazz Fest, there will be a public concert on Friday, March 3, at 7 p.m., at the SWCC Performing Arts Center.
SWCC hosts 2021 The SMV Real Group e-Festival
Southwestern Community College's School for Music Vocations Real Group e-Festival was held online from April 15-17, 2021, in eight different Zoom rooms. The festival was a partnership between the world famous a cappella ensemble The Real Group and the SWCC School for Music Vocations faculty and alumni.
The festival saw 427 individuals attend from 14 countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Norway, Peru, France, Paraguay, Portugal, Sweden, England, and the United States. All in all, there were 20 staff, and SWCC’s professional music students helped to moderate and monitor more than 30 hour-long masterclass sessions on a variety of musical topics. The SWCC music students also ran online open mic nights and music-sharing sessions in the evenings for participating students from other schools. Solo voice lessons were offered by SWCC alums Michelle Mailhot, who is affiliated with Disney/Universal Studios, and Loren Battley, who tours with Michael Bublé among others. All in all, 25 high school and college ensembles from around the U.S. and Canada participated in the festival, getting online clinics from the festival staff.
According to Dr. Jeremy Fox, professional music instructor and event organizer, the SMV Real Group e-Festival was truly international this year, and was by all participants’ accounts a positive one-of-a-kind experience.
The School for Music Vocations Vocal Jazz Festival Archive
March 26-28, 2020, at Southwestern Community College, Creston, Iowa - CANCELED due to COVID-19 concerns and The Real Group being unable to travel to the U.S. Mark your calendar for the 2021 SMV Real Group Festival, scheduled for April 1, 2, and 3.
For information, please visit www.vocaljazzfest.com.
2019 The School for Music Vocations Real Group Festival for vocal jazz, a cappella, and chamber and madrigal choirs
April 5-6, 2019, Southwestern Community College, Creston, Iowa
The Real Group (pictured above) performed in concert during the 2019 School for Music Vocations' vocal jazz fest on Friday, April 5, at 7 and 9:15 p.m., in the SWCC Performing Arts Center theater.
2018 - The SMV Real Group Festival for Vocal Jazz, A Cappella, Chamber, and Madrigal Choirs
The Real Group performed in concert during the School for Music Vocations' vocal jazz fest on Friday, April 6, and Saturday, April 7, 2018.
2017 Fox Fest
Accent, an international jazz a cappella group, performed during the School for Music Vocations' 2017 Fox Fest, on Friday, March 3, at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. at Southwestern Community College’s Performing Arts Center in Creston. SMV ensembles Audio Radiance and Harmonic Convergence opened the concerts.
2016 Fox Fest
The Real Group, a world renowned five-member a cappella ensemble from Sweden, performed two concerts on Fri., April 8, at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., at Southwestern Community College’s Performing Arts Center in Creston.
2014 Vocal Jazz Festival - Fox Fest
Read more about the 2014 Fox Fest
2013 Vocal Jazz Festival - Fox Fest
The seven singers of Groove for Thought were guest artists for the 2013 Fox Fest, SWCC's Vocal Jazz Fest, which was held on February 22 and 23 at Southwestern Community College.
Known most widely for their work on NBC’s hit television show, The Sing-Off, the seven singers of Groove for Thought have been blowing audiences away for more than 10 years. They headlined concerts each evening of Fox Fest at 7:30 p.m., in the Performing Arts Center at SWCC.
Read the news release.
2012 Vocal Jazz Festival - Fox Fest
Guest artists for 2012 included The Four Freshman and Nancy King. Fox Fest was held Fri., February 24, and Sat., February 25, at Southwestern Community College's Creston campus.
Read the news release for concert information. Learn more about The Four Freshman and Nancy King.
2011 Vocal Jazz Festival
The New York Voices, a Grammy Award winning vocal ensemble, headlined the Southwestern Community College (SWCC) 14th Annual Vocal Jazz Fest concerts on Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26, at 7:30 p.m., in the Performing Arts Center.
The New York Voices are renowned for their excellence in jazz and the art of group singing. Their interests are rooted in jazz, but often Brazilian, R&B, classical, and pop influences are included with equal creativity and authenticity. The New York Voices has traveled the globe and appeared on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Austria Opera House, and The Zurich Opera House.
2010 Vocal Jazz Festival
2009 Vocal Jazz Festival
More than 750 people from 10 states were on Southwestern Community College's campus Friday, February 20, and Saturday, February 21, for the 12th Annual SWCC Vocal Jazz Festival. High school and college singing groups performed in the instructional center during the day, after which clinics were offered by Southwestern's music faculty. Throughout the day, practical workshops were also presented.
The featured artists during the event were The Real Group - five singers from Stockholm, Sweden, who are considered to be among the best in the world at singing a cappella (unaccompanied) music. The Real Group's two evening concerts, both sold-out or close to being sold-out, opened each evening with a few of SWCC's top vocal jazz groups. The featured artists were brought back by standing ovation for three encore songs each evening.
Rieman Music of Creston/Des Moines was on-hand during the festival selling merchandise as was Hal Leonard, the world's largest music publishing company, based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In addition, every hotel in Creston was booked solid for three nights.
