Performance Stage Clinicians
Katie Ernst
Katie Ernst has been described by the Chicago Tribune as "a versatile young bassist who plays in far-flung bands and sings with uncommon delicacy and authenticity." Her recent compositions are inspired by the poetry of American writer Dorothy Parker. Her complete Dorothy Parker project Little Words was released in 2015, and is currently available on BandCamp.
As both a bassist and vocalist, Katie has performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, among others. The Chicago Reader identified her as "one of the brightest lights on Chicago’s jazz scene, and she isn’t close to hitting her creative ceiling."
Katie was invited to represent the U.S. in the 2018 EuroRadio Jazz Orchestra, a commissioned big band hosted in Riga, Latvia. Katie was one of 24 young artist-composers selected for the 2013 and 2014 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program, an international jazz residency program at the Kennedy Center under the direction of pianist and MacArthur Fellow Jason Moran. She performed at the Chicago Symphony Center as part of Jason Moran’s Looks of a Lot premiere, which also featured Nasheet Waits, Tarus Mateen, Ken Vandermark, Theaster Gates, and Kenwood Academy Jazz Band.
Katie is an active bandleader and side-woman in Chicago. She recently established a duo project with clarinetist James Falzone called 'Wayfaring.' The duo was featured at the 2016 Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and their debut album I Move, You Move is available on the Allos Documents label. Katie composes and performs with the band TWIN TALK, alongside co-leaders Dustin Laurenzi (saxophone) and Andrew Green (drums). Twin Talk's self-titled sophomore album is out now on ears&eyes Records. Their third studio album Weaver has received much critical acclaim, and the group was featured at the 2014 Chicago Jazz Festival.
Katie holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media and a Bachelor of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. She serves as the jazz ensemble director at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL.
Katie Ernst has been described by the Chicago Tribune as "a versatile young bassist who plays in far-flung bands and sings with uncommon delicacy and authenticity." Her recent compositions are inspired by the poetry of American writer Dorothy Parker. Her complete Dorothy Parker project Little Words was released in 2015, and is currently available on BandCamp.
As both a bassist and vocalist, Katie has performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, among others. The Chicago Reader identified her as "one of the brightest lights on Chicago’s jazz scene, and she isn’t close to hitting her creative ceiling."
Katie was invited to represent the U.S. in the 2018 EuroRadio Jazz Orchestra, a commissioned big band hosted in Riga, Latvia. Katie was one of 24 young artist-composers selected for the 2013 and 2014 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program, an international jazz residency program at the Kennedy Center under the direction of pianist and MacArthur Fellow Jason Moran. She performed at the Chicago Symphony Center as part of Jason Moran’s Looks of a Lot premiere, which also featured Nasheet Waits, Tarus Mateen, Ken Vandermark, Theaster Gates, and Kenwood Academy Jazz Band.
Katie is an active bandleader and side-woman in Chicago. She recently established a duo project with clarinetist James Falzone called 'Wayfaring.' The duo was featured at the 2016 Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and their debut album I Move, You Move is available on the Allos Documents label. Katie composes and performs with the band TWIN TALK, alongside co-leaders Dustin Laurenzi (saxophone) and Andrew Green (drums). Twin Talk's self-titled sophomore album is out now on ears&eyes Records. Their third studio album Weaver has received much critical acclaim, and the group was featured at the 2014 Chicago Jazz Festival.
Katie holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media and a Bachelor of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. She serves as the jazz ensemble director at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL.
Chris Werve
Chris Werve maintains a busy schedule as a middle school band director, jazz educator, clinician, judge, and professional saxophonist. He teaches band and jazz band at Jefferson Jr. High School in Naperville, IL.
Since 2012, Chris Werve’s reputation as an in-demand educator continues to grow. His considerable teaching experience includes; big band clinics, saxophone master classes, improvisation master classes, guest artist appearances, jazz combo coaching, sectional coaching, and private lessons in jazz and classical saxophone, clarinet, flute, and piano. He was also the director of the acclaimed Geneva Jazz Ensemble for five years.
In addition to his busy teaching schedule, Chris is a sought-after clinician and adjudicator. He has worked with and performed as a guest artist with several high school and middle school jazz ensembles throughout the Chicago Suburbs, as well as a featured clinician for the Naperville Big Band Jazz Festival in 2016. His jazz clinics have addressed many topics including style, feel and time, sound, articulation, ensemble playing, improvisation, active listening, and music history.
As a performer, Chris has considerable experience in big band jazz, combo jazz, funk, and popular music. He is a member of the Pete Ellman Big Band, Vern Spevak Big Band, and Paul Windsor Orchestra. He has performed with some of the top jazz ensembles in Chicago and was a featured performer in the 2016 Naperville Big Band Jazz Festival. As a member of the Vern Spevak Big Band, he was a featured soloist at the opening concert of the 2016 Illinois Music Educators Conference (IMEC) and will be featured on the upcoming Vern Spevak Big Band album to be released in 2020.
In 2012 he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Saxophone Performance with an Emphasis in Jazz Studies from Northern Illinois University where he studied with Steve Duke, Ron Carter, Art Davis, Fareed Haque, Tom Garling, Robert Chappell, and Rich Moore.
