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Nina Moffitt

Nina Moffitt is a vocalist from Brooklyn, New York who uses an instrumental approach to interpret music from a distinctive, genre-bending perspective. Beginning with piano lessons at the age of five, Nina then took up percussion in her father’s church ensemble and finally became a vocalist by leading the church congregation throughout her formative years. Nina then attended the LaGuardia Arts High School of performing arts in Manhattan, where she studied classical music, gospel, jazz, and new music composition, and simultaneously studied jazz voice privately at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. In 2005 Nina sang with the All City Jazz Band at Lincoln Center, and in that same year was granted an Honorary Mention from the NFAA (National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts) in the category of jazz voice. Also in 2005, Nina performed as a backup singer with pop star Josh Groban at venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and on national television (ABC Good Morning America).

Nina recently received her B.A. from Oberlin College with honors for her work in cultural and linguistic anthropology. While she attended Oberlin College, Nina also studied with professors at the world-renowned Oberlin conservatory, including Professor Lorraine Manz, mezzo-soprano, and jazz professors Wendell Logan, Paul Samuels, Robert Ferrazza, Peter Dominguez and Marcus Belgrave. Nina performed with the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble for four years, led jazz worship services at First Church of Oberlin and Trinity Church in Cleveland, and sang with countless student ensembles, including ones directed by Nina herself. Of her many influences, Nina's singing is greatly inspired by the work of Joni Mitchell, Sarah Vaughan, Wayne Shorter, and Nina Simone. Bossa nova phrasing has also become pervasive in Nina's musical concept since she studied Portuguese in Brazil in 2007. Among current projects, Nina recorded an EP in April that will be released shortly and she is now performing with her band in the New York area.

Awards

N.F.A.A. Honorary Mention, jazz voice.


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