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Jennifer Bellor

Described as “gorgeously ethereal” by City Newspaper and “beautifully haunting” by the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, works by composer Jennifer Bellor blend contemporary jazz, classical, and rock styles. Her works have been performed by national and international organizations such as Washington National Opera, Lviv Philharmonic, Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival, June in Buffalo, Eastman New Jazz Ensemble, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Eastman Saxophone Project, UNLV Wind Symphony, California State University East Bay Wind Orchestra, UNLV Jazz Ensemble, Florida State University Festival of New Music, Hildegard Festival, Ritsos Project in Greece, A/Tonal Ensemble, Mivos Quartet, and many others in the United States and abroad. She has been recognized for both her concert music and jazz, with awards including a 2015 IAWM Judith Lang Zaimont prize for Skylark Lullaby, 2015 American prize finalist for Uprising, 2014 Seattle Women’s Jazz Composition prize, and a 2013 Downbeat Award for Midnight Swim. Additionally, her opera Duffy’s Cut that was commissioned by Washington National Opera and premiered at the Kennedy Center November, 2013 was praised as showing a “flair for full-bodied, operatic sound” (Washington Post), and for “using contrasting rhythms and clever harmonies to an intriguing effect” (Huffington Post).

Recent performances include a premiere of Bordello Nights by the UNLV Wind Orchestra at the Festival des Anches d’Azur in La Croix Valmer featuring jazz saxophonists Eric Marienthal and Colin Gordon, pianist Mitch Forman, bassist Kevin Axt, and drummer Bernie Dresel. Additionally, 898 Hildegard for orchestra and chorus that was commissioned and premiered by the Genesee Valley Orchestra June 3-4 in Rochester, NY will be presented by the Las Vegas Philharmonic April 1, 2017.

Jennifer’s debut album Stay released August 10th, 2016 blends jazz, classical and rock styles. She presented a CD release concert at the Bop Shop August 21st in Rochester, NY that featured special live-show jazz versions of music from the album along with a premiere of her new song cycle, Songs in the Dark. Stay along with her single Midnight Swim that was released shortly thereafter can be accessed on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Spotify, among others.

Jennifer earned a PhD in music composition at Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music degree in composition at Syracuse University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music at Cornell University. Her primary composition teachers included David Liptak, Bob Morris, Andrew Waggoner, Sally Lamb-McCune, and Steven Stucky. She is currently Visiting Lecturer at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she teaches courses in music composition and theory.

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About Jennifer Bellor: Las Vegas-based composer Jennifer Bellor blends contemporary jazz, classical, and popular styles. Her works have been performed by Washington National Opera, Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Washington National Opera, Eastman New Jazz Ensemble, UNLV Jazz Ensemble, and many others in the United States and abroad. She earned a 2013 DownBeat Award for her composition “Midnight Swim" for big band in the original composition/orchestrated work category at the graduate college level. Her composition Noir ...

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Judges from the Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra Composition Contest considered her piece "Noir," “really beautiful and haunting,” and “reminiscent of Ornette’s collaboration with Howard Shore for the film Naked Lunch.” http://earshot.org/Festival/artistinfo/SeattleWomensJazzOrchestrafeaturingGraceKelly.html

Her opera "Duffy's Cut" (2013) was praised as showing a “flair for full-bodied, operatic sound,” (Washington Post), and “using contrasting rhythms and clever harmonies to an intriguing effect” (Huffington Post). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-dormady-eisenberg/review-three-mini-operas_b_4280687.html

Primary Instrument

Composer / conductor

Location

Las Vegas

Credentials/Background

Visiting Lecturer in Music Composition and Theory at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Courses include undergraduate theory and aural skills, counterpoint, analysis, group composition and private lessons. Willing to teach students at all levels. Offers private lessons ($50/hour) if student can come to UNLV or if it is through skype: Composition Theory/Aural skills

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Songs in the Dark

Jennifer Bellor
2017

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Stay

Bellor Records
2016

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Midnight Swim (single)

Bellor Records
2016

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Videos

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