Presented by Dylan Bell and Aaron Jensen, who sang in Wibi A Cappella at York University. After graduation, they became full-time professional a cappella singers with touring groups Cadence, FreePlay, Countermeasure, Retrocity and The Watch. Co-Presenter is Deke Sharon, heralded as the founder of contemporary a cappella, founder of the Contemporary A Cappella Society, producer for five seasons of The Sing Off for NBC TV, and award-winning recording artist.
Clinician Bios:
Heralded “The Father of Contemporary A Cappella” (Entertainment Weekly), Deke Sharon is a producer (NBC’s The Sing Off), music director (Pitch Perfect), arranger (Broadway’s In Transit), community leader (founding CASA, BOCA,CARAs, ICCA, Camp A Cappella), author of 7 books, and performer since the age of 8, sharing the stage with the likes of Pavarotti, Ray Charles, and James Brown while pioneering and popularizing the sound of modern a cappella.
www.dekesharon.com
@dekesharon
AARON JENSEN (he/him), is a Saskatchewan-born, Toronto-based artist with a passion for collaboration, exploration, and community building. His creative work has been premiered and recorded by JUNO and GRAMMY award-winning artists, including Randy Brecker, Mariah Carey, Larnell Lewis, and Evelyn Glennie. He had the pleasure of acting as musical director, band leader, and composer for the nine-time EMMY award-winning series, Schitt’s Creek. Jensen’s compositions have been performed around the world by celebrated choirs and symphony orchestras. He has contributed to a Broadway-optioned musical, a BAFTA-nominated video game, and a New York Times Bestselling book. Aaron acted as arranger and vocal producer for the JUNO-nominated album, SuperHero Suite which featured Ron Sexsmith, The Barenaked Ladies, Alan Doyle, The Rheostatics, and others; and as music engraver for Andrea Bocelli's album, Sì, which was GRAMMY-nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (2019). His love of vocal music, obsession with language, and penchant for interweaving musical genres can be heard throughout his body of work. Aaron performs, records, and tours with Countermeasure, Retrocity, The Watch, and The Ruach Singers. Jensen is the Artistic Director of Countermeasure, the Artist-in-Residence at Beth Sholom Synagogue, and the Artistic Director Emeritus of SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival.
www.aaronjensen.ca
In a word… multifaceted. Since he first discovered his parents’ eclectic Beethoven-to-Bob Dylan record collection, Juno-nominated Dylan Bell’s musical curiosity has kept him effortlessly crossing and blurring musical boundaries. Dylan is a mainstay on the Canadian music scene, having sung with many of Canada’s premiere vocal ensembles such as Cadence, Hampton Avenue, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, The Watch, the eclectic FreePlay, and the 1980s-era vocal pop group Retrocity. When he’s not singing, he freelances as a keyboard player and bassist.Behind the mixing board, Dylan has produced or engineered several award-winning albums, including a Juno co-nomination as Best Engineer with Cadence (Twenty For One), the Swingles (Ferris Wheels) and the final Juno-nominated album by The Nylons (Skin Tight).Dylan’s compositions and arrangements have garnered international recognition, and have been performed around the world from Adelaide to Zurich. When it comes to vocal arranging, Dylan wrote the book… literally. His major work “A Cappella Arranging” (co-written with Deke Sharon) was published by Hal Leonard Music in 2013 to international acclaim, with a followup book to be released in July, 2024. Dylan is also in demand worldwide as an instrumental teacher and vocal/choral clinician. Visit Dylan at www.dylanbell.ca.
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