Chase Morrin ~ Biography

~ Composer, Arranger, Pianist ~

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Pianist/composer/arranger/band leader, Chase Morrin, 18, from San Diego is currently a freshman in a five-year double-degree program at Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music (B.S. at Harvard, 2015/M.M. at NEC, 2016). Chase is pursuing a science concentration at Harvard and jazz composition at the conservatory. He is currently studying with Ken Shaphorst and Frank Carlberg, composes for the NEC Jazz Composers' Workshop Orchestra (JCWO) and plays in an NEC ensemble directed by Jerry Bergonzi. His musical activities have included composing and conducting for Canyon Crest Academy's choir, music, dance and theater conservatories; percussion in the wind ensemble; piano for MiraCosta College’s Latin Jazz Orchestra; piano for Palomar College's jazz ensemble; and bonang in a Javanese gamelan orchestra through the World Center of Music. Chase directs, composes, and arranges for the Chase Morrin Trio, winning first place in the 2011 "Open Combo" division at Monterey’s Next Generation Jazz Festival and performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival on September 18, 2011. Chase has earned multiple national and state awards, including the ASCAP Plus Award for composition recognition; three ASCAP Young Jazz Composer awards; eight DownBeat awards in composition, arrangement and leading his own school groups; several composition and film scoring awards through the Music Teacher’s Association of California’s Young Composer’s Guild; and the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 2011 Gerald Wilson Award for his big band composition “Mumphis” which was performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival by the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra on September 18, 2011. In addition, Chase won the 2010 Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Award (all southern California) in the jazz instrumental category with an original composition; was all-star pianist at the Reno Jazz Festival in 2009 and 2011; and won first place for his hip-hop-influenced original jazz project with a school trio he created for the Reno Jazz Festival in 2011. Chase has traveled to Indonesia to study gamelan music; selected as the pianist on full scholarship for Berklee College of Music’s Summer Jazz Workshop; and selected as a fellow for the 2010 Vail Jazz Workshop and Festival. During the summer of 2011 Chase performed on a cruise ship from San Francisco to Alaska as an "Emerging Young Artist" through Spotlights and Crystal Cruises; went on a West-Coast tour as the pianist for the Monterey Jazz Festival's Next Generation Jazz Orchestra; and recorded his first original CD, En Común, with his trio. Just two weeks after starting Harvard in Cambridge, Chase flew back to California to perform at the 54th Monterey Jazz Festival with his quartet and with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, September 2011. Chase discovered the keyboard at the age of eight when he received a toy “Costco” keyboard for Christmas. He immediately started playing and composing and has never stopped since then. A natural musician, Chase draws from a variety of cultural musical influences, hoping to inspire and connect his audiences.

~ Resume ~

AWARDS/HONORS/SCHOLARSHIPS

ASCAP Plus Award, Composition recognition, 2012

Jazz Education Network (JEN) Composition Contest Winner, 2012

ASCAP (American Society Composers, Authors and Publishers) Young Jazz Composer Awards, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2007

National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts - YoungArts, Jazz Composition, 2012

National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts - YoungArts, Jazz Keyboard, 2012
DownBeat Award for Original Composition-Orchestrated work, Winner, "Mumphis" 2011
DownBeat Award for Original Composition-Lead Sheet, Winner, "Kotekan" 2011
DownBeat Award, Arrangement, Outstanding Performance, "Simone" 2011
Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival "Open Combo" division WINNERS, Chase Morrin Quartet (student director), 2011
Gerald Wilson Award (Big Band Composition) "Mumphis," performed by the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra at the Monterey Jazz Festival on 9/18/11
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts - YoungArts, Winner, Music Composition, 2011
DownBeat Award, Blues/Pop/Rock Group, Original Hip-Hop/Jazz Influenced project, 2011
San Diego Music Awards, Nominated for "Best Jazz" 2011
Martin Luther King Community Choir Educational Grant, 2011
RB Chorale Music Scholarship, 2011
Los Angeles Music Center SPOTLIGHT Award Winner - Jazz Instrumental Southern California, 2010

DOWNBEAT Student Award Winner - Extended Composition, "Sea of Herbs," 2010
DOWNBEAT Student Award - Outstanding Performance - Original Song, "Angular Raga," 2010
DOWNBEAT Student Award Winner - Latin Group - Latin Connection Duo, 2010
Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival "Open Combo" division, 2nd Place - Chase Morrin Group (student director), 2010
Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival "Outstanding Soloist," 2011, 2010
Reno Jazz Festival, Overall "Outstanding High School Performer," 2011, 2010
Reno Jazz Festival Big Band Composition Contest winner, 2010
Reno Jazz Festival Combo Composition Contest winner, 2010
Reno Jazz Festival, "High School Combo" category, 1st place 2010, 2nd place (student director)

San Diego Music Awards - Nominee for "Best Jazz Album" for jazz solo piano CD, 2010

QuikSCience Music Challenge Winner, original instrumental composition, 2010

MTAC Film Score Winner, 1st Place, 2010

Charles Dolo Coker Jazz Scholarship - HM, 2011, 2010

National AP Scholar Award, The College Board, 2010

AP Scholar with Distinction Award, The College Board, 2010

First place Rubik's Cube Competition, San Diego County, 2010

DOWNBEAT Student Music Award, Best Latin Group (directed, composed and arranged for the band), 2009

Reno Jazz Festival All Star Combo, Pianist 2011, 2009

MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) Membership into the Young Composer’s Guild (YCG), 2009-2014

AP Scholar Award, The College Board, 2009

Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, special guest group - Latin Connection, 2009

Semi-Finalist for Southern California Spotlight Award, Jazz Instrumentalist - 2009, 2010

MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California) State Composers’ Today Awards, 2007 and 2008

Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artist Scholarship, California State Summer School for the Arts (Innerspark), 2008*

Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, "Conglomerate Big Band" with The Jazz Ensemble, finalists, 2008

All Southern California Honor Bands and District Honor Bands, percussionist, 2007 and 2008

First place State Science Olympiad awards for Glider and Trebuchet events, 2007

WORK EXPERIENCE

¯ Musical Director/Conductor, Jubilate Children's Choir, Christ Episcopal Church of Coronado, 2010-present

¯ Pianist for adult choir, Christ Episcopal Church of Coronado, 2009-present

¯ Private Music Teacher, provide lessons for piano and drum students at home studio, 2006-present

¯ Tutor math, Canyon Crest Academy 2008-present

¯ Regular musican for Pannikin Cafe/Book Works in Del Mar, Bing Crosby’s Restaurant and Piano Lounge and Bistro D'Vine, 2008-present

¯ Pianist for "Lilith," an original opera with music by Anthony Davis at UCSD, December 2009

¯ Musical Director, conductor and pianist for Actor’s Conservatory Theater of San Diego; You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Showcase performance, and a High School Musical, 2008-2009

¯ Keyboardist for San Diego Jr. Theater, Cats, October/November, 2008

¯ Conductor and pianist for Canyon Crest Academy’s Grease, May 2008

¯ Contracted for private corporate events, weddings, galas, dinner dances as solo, small ensemble, and large ensemble, 2007-present

¯ Performed several volunteer concerts to raise money for various organizations including cancer research and musician college scholarships, 2006-present

MUSIC EDUCATION AND COMPOSITION

¯ Recorded two CDs, Summer 2009 (www.chasemorrin.com/cd)

¯ Composer for the full score of Finnish Music for the dance and choir conservatories at Canyon Crest Academy, May 2010

¯ Berklee College of Music, Five Week Summer Program, 2009 and Jazz Workshop 2010

¯ UCSD Jazz Camp, Summer 2008 and Summer 2009

¯ California State Summer School for the Arts at CalArts, 2008

¯ Pianist for the 7 O’Clock Palomar College Jazz Ensemble (Spring 2009-Spring 2010), MiraCosta College’s Latin Jazz Orchestra (Fall 2009-present), Ira Liss Big Band Jazz Machine (2009-present)

¯ Composer for the full score of Corpse Bride, a musical performed at Canyon Crest Academy, November 2007

¯ Pianist for San Diego Youth Symphony Stage Band, 2007-2008

¯ Symphonic Band, percussionist/ Jazz Combo, pianist Canyon Crest Academy, 2007-2008

¯ Started professional jazz trio and professional jazz quintet ; 2007-present (www.chasemorrin.com/trio and www.chasemorrin.com/latinconnection)

¯ Featured on Channel 8, KUSI, San Diego Union Tribune, Del Mar Times, Carmel Valley News, LA Jazz Scene, San Diego Reader, CityBeat Magazine, and Boston-Steinway and Sons’ Magazine

¯ Private piano and composition teachers/mentors: Rick Helzer, Kenny Ard, Anthony Davis

EDUCATION

Harvard University (class of 2015)
New England Conservatory of Music (class of 2016) Jazz Composition
Canyon Crest Academy High School, Graduation 2011, GPA 4.47
(National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, Math Team, Academic Team)

*Herb Alpert Scholarship for Emerging Young Artists PR Information:
Rivian Bell, President, rbell@jdipr.com AND Paula Marie Valle, Representative, pvalle@jdipr.com
JDI Communications
707 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 3950
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Work: (213) 612-4927
Work fax: (213) 612-4929