Hosted by the NWC Music Department, the fifth annual Northwest Vocal Summit will kick off with a concert Friday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Nelson Performing Arts Auditorium. This year’s concert will feature the NWC Studio Singers, classical vocalist Daniel Schreiner and contemporary vocalist and composer Erin Bentlage.
Hailing from the mountains of Vermont, Bentlage writes, sings and plays music in search of organic sound. Raised in a small town near the city of Burlington, she developed her love for emotional musical expression through ballet and classical piano lessons, and in high school found herself involved in any musical activity possible, from performing as a singer and pianist to directing the school’s first acappella group.
She became the first vocalist to win the Vermont All State Jazz Scholarship in 2008 and 2009, which also served as her first experience in jazz and improvisation. Bentlage earned her degree in contemporary writing and production at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Cost for the concert is $10 for general admission, $25 for a family of four or more and free for students with a Northwest College ID.
In addition, free workshops will get underway the next morning Saturday, Feb. 2, at 9 a.m. All vocal educators, community members and students middle-school age and older are welcome to attend the sessions.
Workshops will be led by Bentlage and Schreiner.
The Northwest Vocal Summit is supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council through funding from the Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For all Northwest College events, visit https://nwc.edu/events/.