5 ensembles and 11 particular person college students from the Frost Faculty of Music, the College of Miami’s elite music college, had been acknowledged with a prestigious DownBeat Pupil Music Award. The DownBeat Pupil Music Awards, based in 1976, are thought of to be some of the seen and prestigious honors on the planet of jazz. As a part of the annual competitors, faculty, highschool, and center college college students report their jazz performances and submit their items for judging by skilled musicians and educators from throughout the nation.
2025 Frost Faculty of Music winners embody:
- Guitarist Kevin Venier was honored 3 times as a Graduate Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist, a Graduate Blues/Pop/Rock Group as a part of his Fusion Expertise, and as an Undergraduate Small Jazz Combo for his trio.
- Graduate pupil Dan Van Zeeland gained two awards for Authentic Composition Small Ensemble together with his composition “Ralph” and for Jazz Association – Studio Orchestra for his association of “Frevo.”
- Frost Faculty college mentor Steve Rucker was acknowledged for his work with the Frost Fusion Ensemble, which gained the Graduate Blues/Pop/Rock Group Efficiency honor, and the Frost Funk Ensemble, which gained the Undergraduate Blues/Pop/Rock Group Efficiency award.
You possibly can view DownBeat’s particular subject celebrating the Pupil Music Award winners HERE.