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Latin Jazz ~NEW!
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Biography
~ Composer, Pianist, Performer,
Writer, and Teacher ~
6 minute video biography of Chase talking about his
compositions
Chase Morrin, 15, started teaching himself piano and composing when he was eight. After begging his parents for lessons, he began formal training in summer, 2002. His composition awards include the national ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Young Jazz Composer Award in 2007 and the MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) Composers Today State awards in 2007 and 2008. Chase has composed over 50 pieces, including the full musical score for a theatrical production of Corpse Bride that was performed at his school, November of 2007. He just completed his fourth big band jazz composition and his charts have been performed by Canyon Crest Academy High School, San Diego Youth Symphony Stage band, Grossmont College Big Band and The Jazz Ensemble.
During the summer of 2008, Chase studied at the UCSD Jazz camp on a full-ride scholarship and at the month long residential program for the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) - InnerSpark at CalArts. Chase was awarded the prestigious Herb Alpert Scholarship for Emerging Young Artists to use for college in 2011 by the CSSSA faculty. Chase studied music composition with Rychard Cooper and jazz piano with Rick Helzer and Geoffrey Keezer during summer of 2008. Chase has studied piano with Svetlana Pikous and Kenny Ard. He currently studies privately with Rick Helzer.
Chase was the youngest ever to win the national ASCAP award and the youngest of 8 recipients in the United States for 2007. Chase was honored at the Lincoln Center in New York. Chase’s funk-jazz composition, Free Fall was inspired by Bach. Chase also won the MTAC Composer's State contest award for this piece. In 2008, his piece, Gerswhin, won the MTAC State contest award and one of his first big band charts won "honorable mention."
In addition to composition,
Chase is an outstanding pianist (particularly jazz) and percussionist. He
was awarded honorable mention for this concerto, Rhapsody in Blue in
2008 and performed this with
Canyon Crest Academy High School's
wind ensemble in 2007. Chase has received awards
such as "Musician of the Year," "Most Talented," “Outstanding Soloist,” and
"Best Rhythm.” He has performed six solo piano concerts starting at age 11 at
various venues with his most recent performance in the brand new theater at
Cuyamaca College for the “Art of
the Piano” concert series.
Chase plays in several bands and accompanies theater and choir groups.
He has either played piano and/or conducted for Grease, Cats, South
Pacific, and a High School Musical for various theater groups which
include San Diego Junior Theater, San Diego Actor's Conservatory Theater,
and Canyon Crest Academy High School.
He's played for the All-Southern California Honor bands and the San Dieguito
district honor bands in 2007 and 2008. He has played percussion for his
school’s symphonic band (wind ensemble) and piano for the jazz band and
combos.
Chase was also the pianist for
the San Diego Youth Symphony Stage band, directed by Carl Hammond and
The Jazz Ensemble,
directed by Vince Greco. Chase plays with older bands around town, including Chris Klich's
Quintet, Paul Ingram's Quartet, and the Legacy Big Band. Chase
currently plays with an older crowd in the San Diego Concert Jazz Band on
Wednesday nights and he has a variety of his own bands to include Chase
Morrin Trio, Chase Morrin Quartet,
Minor Groove
and his newest project, the
Latin Connection Jazz Quintet.
Chase is often hired for private corporate and wedding events.
In addition to piano, Chase plays percussion/drums and a little sax and trumpet. He teaches piano and percussion studens and enjoys all school subjects, writing and soccer. He is on the school's Academic Team and Math Team and tutors math one day a week. Chase lives with his mom, dad and younger brother in San Diego, California. To hear some of Chase’s original works go to www.myspace.com/chasemorrin or www.youtube.com/chasemorrin.
Resume
OBJECTIVE
To
go to college to study music composition and jazz piano performance
EDUCATION
Canyon Crest Academy High School, honor student with 4.0 (Math team and
Academic team), San Diego, 2007-present, graduation 2011
MUSIC
EDUCATION AND COMPOSITION
- Private piano teachers and/or mentors: Kenny Ard, Rick Helzer, Geofrey Keezer, Carl Hammond, and Svetlana Pikous
- UCSD Jazz Camp, Summer 2008
- Composer and director for the full score of Corpse Bride, a musical performed at Canyon Crest Academy, November 2007
- Symphonic Band, percussionist, Canyon Crest Academy, 2007-present
- Jazz Combo, pianist, Canyon Crest Academy, 2007-present
- Started two trios; perform jazz standards and original jazz compositions, 2007-present
- Pianist for the Jazz Ensemble which consists of gifted local San Diego musicians with director Vince Greco, 2007-present
- Pianist for San Diego Youth Symphony Stage Band with director Carl Hammond, 2007-present
- Orchestra, Symphonic and Jazz bands, Carmel Valley Middle School, piano and percussion, 2005-2007
- Boys and Girls Club bands of San Dieguito, Saxophone and Piano, 2004-2007
MUSIC AWARDS
ASCAP (American Society Composers, Authors and Publishers) Young Jazz
Composer Award, 2007
MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) State Composer’s Today
Award, 2007 and 2008
Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artist Scholarship Award, 2008 (to use in
20011), from
CSSSA-InnerSpark
Outstanding Soloist, 2007
Best Rhythm sections, various bands, 2007-2008
Music Awards and “Most Talented," 2007
All Southern California Honor Band, 2007 and 2008, percussionist
District Honor Band, 2007 and 2008, percussionist
Musician of the Year, Boys and Girls Club of San Dieguito, 2005
WORK EXPERIENCE
- Private Piano Teacher, provide lessons to elementary school age children at home studio, 2006-present
- Solo keyboardist for Bistro D'Vines, April 2008-October 2008
- Keyboardist for San Diego Jr. Theater, Cats, October/November 2008
- Pianist for Canyon Crest Academy's production of South Pacific, November, 2008
- Conductor and pianist for A High School Musical, August 2008, Act Theater Group
- Conductor and pianist for Grease, May 2008
- Paid private corporate gigs and weddings as solo, small ensemble, and with trio, 2007-present
- Math tutor - for Mr. Shay at Canyon Crest Academy
- Soccer referee, 2005-2006
PERFORMANCES AND CONCERTS
- Multiple school and outside band concerts, private solo piano concerts, private solo piano and trio background music at events, band festival performances and gigs at various venues
- Solo jazz piano concerts, 2005 and 2007, original compositions performed and money raised for cancer research, Canyon Crest Academy Music Conservatory Programs and Cuyamaca College Music Student Scholarships
- Original compositions performed for school talent shows, 8th grade promotion, special functions at school as invited by the principal (i.e. volunteer appreciation tea, staff developments), for board members of the Boys and Girls Clubs special functions, exposure gigs at Starbucks, for organizational galas, community events such as the family music night at the local library, and for recital hours for college students at local colleges
- 2008-2009 MTAC partnership with Chargers to donate $50,000 scholarships for underrepresented students to receive piano lessons; will be part of the piano concert program given to schools, events and homes
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
- Music composition, writing, soccer, fencing, cricket, science and math teams, playing other instruments; trumpet and percussion, classical and jazz piano, reading, improvisation
ASCAP
Winners Announced
ASCAP Award Winners Photos
ASCAP Press Release
ASCAP Jazz Wall Event Photos
Chase at Lincoln Center, New York
Chase on News 8
Click here or on picture to see video
Chase on News 8 with Larry Himmel
(Click on "Watch Video")
PDF News 8 Story
Chase Live on KUSI
Good Morning San Diego
Click here to see video
Click here to see the re-run
Steinway & Sons Boston Piano Publication-Chase
Featured
Click here to view the full magazine (Chase is on
page 10)
(Summer 2007, 15th Anniversary Magazine)
www.steinway.com
