Born: August 25, 1993 Primary Instrument: Piano
Chase Morrin, 16, a junior at Canyon Crest Academy, is a member of a Javanese Gamelan Orchestra through the World Center of Music and is an avid composer for the choir, dance, theater, and music conservatories. At the top of his class with over a 4.4 GPA, he is a member of the Math team and Academic team, tutors math, and formed a Rubik's Cube club. Outside of school, Chase runs rehearsals out of his home, and teaches both classical piano and percussion students. Chase recently won the 2010 Los Angeles Music Center SPOTLIGHT award in the jazz instrumentalist category with a performance of his composition “Angular Raga.” Chase’s accomplishments include three national ASCAP (American Society Composers, Authors, and Publishers) Young Jazz Composer awards; four national DOWNBEAT awards in both composition and performance; three MTAC (Music Teachers’ Association of California) Composers’ Today awards in both composition and film scoring; five year membership into the MTAC Young Composers’ Guild (YCG); two Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival awards for performance; and five Reno Jazz Festival awards in performance, big band composition and small ensemble composition. Chase directs, composes, and arranges for his own Jazz and Latin groups such as Latin Connection which earned two DOWNBEAT awards and the Chase Morrin Trio which won 2nd in the 2010 Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival in the new “Open Combo” division comprised of university bands and directors. Other awards include several “Outstanding Soloist” and “Outstanding Performer” awards from festivals, the Herb Alpert Scholarship for Emerging Young Talent, and two full-ride scholarships to the Berklee College of Music’s summer program (Jazz Workshop) and the UCSD Jazz Camp. He plays in adult groups including the Palomar College Jazz Ensemble, MiraCosta College’s Latin Jazz Orchestra and the Ira Liss Big Band Machine. Chase played principal piano at UCSD for the premier of Anthony Davis’ opera “Lilith.” Chase’s mentors and teachers include Rick Helzer (jazz professor), Ken Ard (classical and jazz professor), and Anthony Davis (opera composer). Please visit www.chasemorrin.com for music samples.
Awards:
Los Angeles Music Center SPOTLIGHT Award Winner - Jazz Instrumentalist Southern California, 2010ASCAP (American Society Composers, Authors and Publishers) Young Jazz Composer Awards, 2010, 2009, 2007
DOWNBEAT Student Award Winner - Extended Composition, "Sea of Herbs," 2010
DOWNBEAT Student Award - Outstanding Performance - Original Song, "Angular Raga," 2010
DOWNBEAT Student Award Winner - Latin Group - Latin Connection Duo, 2010
Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival "Open Combo" division, 2nd Place - Chase Morrin Group (student director), 2010
Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival "Outstanding Soloist," 2010
Reno Jazz Festival, Overall "Outstanding High School Performer," 2010
Reno Jazz Festival Big Band Composition Contest winner, 2010
Reno Jazz Festival Combo Composition Contest winner, 2010
Reno Jazz Festival, "High School Combo" category, 2nd place - Latin Connection Duo (student director), 2010
QuikSCience Music Challenge Winner, original instrumental composition, 2010
MTAC Film Score Winner, 1st Place, 2010
First place Rubik's Cube Competition, San Diego County, 2010
DOWNBEAT Student Music Award, Best Latin Group (directed, composed and arranged for the band), 2009
Reno Jazz Festival All Star Combo, Pianist 2009
MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) Membership into the Young Composer’s Guild (YCG), 2009-2014
AP Scholar, College Board, 2009
Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, special guest group - Latin Connection, 2009
Semi-Finalist for Southern California Spotlight Award, Jazz Instrumentalist - 2009, 2010
MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) State Composers’ Today Awards, 2007 and 2008
Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artist Scholarship, California State Summer School for the Arts (Innerspark), 2008
Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, "Conglomerate Big Band" with The Jazz Ensemble, finalists, 2008
All Southern California Honor Bands and District Honor Bands, percussionist, 2007 and 2008
First place State Science Olympiad awards for Glider and Trebuchet events, 2007
“It’s a good thing San Diego piano wiz Chase Morrin has the boundless energy of a teenager. Anyone with less drive and stamina might get tired just contemplating his nonstop schedule, let alone trying to pull it off.” -- George Varga, Music Critic, San Diego Union Tribune
“When I closed my eyes I could have heard these young cats on any stage anywhere in the world slaying the house… If this is what the future of jazz looks like, I’m there…” -- Mark Winkler, LA Jazz Scene, August 2009
“In the mercurial world of jazz music, Chase Morrin is already a major player.” - Larry Himmel, San Diego News 8 (2/26/07)
“14-year-old Chase Morrin is building a reputation as a master of the piano. Be it performing alone or in a group or composing his own tunes, this sophomore is making his own brand of noise.” - Del Mar Times (8/15/08)
“Among the gifts under the Christmas tree the year Chase Morrin was eight years old was a toy keyboard. Less than five years later, with talent and ability far beyond his parents’ wildest dreams, this accomplished musician is on his way to Lincoln Center as a major player in the world of jazz.” - Boston Magazine, 15th Anniversary Edition (Summer 2007)
Primary Instrument:
Piano
Location:
San Diego, CA
Willing to teach:
Intermediate to advanced students
