Recent News
NEWS, Jan 28, 2014: The Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble recently returned from the Jazz Education Network conference Dallas, TX. Over 1500 people attended the conference, which included jazz students, educators and world-class performers.
The IC Jazz Ensemble performed at the conference, playing an entire program of new arrangements the music of iconic pianist Thelonious Monk written by ensemble director Mike Titlebaum. Additionally, all the music was taught by ear, memorized, and performed “headchart style” for the concert.
In addition to arranging and directing the band for the concert, Mike Titlebaum also delivered a workshop at the conference called “Developing Your Band’s Groove: The Inner Game of Rhythm.” Both presentations were attended by large audiences and were received enthusiastically.
Throughout the four days of the conference, Ithaca students also attended clinics, workshops, jam sessions, and heard many concerts with world-class performers such as Jeff Coffin, Bob Mintzer, Peter Erskine, Randy Brecker, Victor Wooten and many others.
A photo album of the band’s trip can be viewed at:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202247317156717&type=1&l=4879302494
NEWS, Feb 3, 2012: Mike Titlebaum is serving as the February 2012 Jazz Mentor to The National Association for Music Education (NAfME, formerly MENC), and the organization has published a companion interview called "5 Questions for the February 2012 Jazz Mentor." The piece can be found on their website at http://www.nafme.org/v/jazz/5-questions-for-the-february-2012-jazz-mentor.
NEWS, Sept 19, 2010: Mike Titlebaum's recent performance with Gary Versace was reviewed by David Yearsley in CounterPunch in an article called "Unexpected Encounters With Greatness." The following is an excerpt from the review:
"Alto saxophonist, Mike Titlebaum, director of jazz studies at Ithaca College on one of the town’s adjacent hills, soon launched into a fleet solo. He is an agile and tasteful musician, who seems to play with absolute ease. Clearly an immense amount of work went into this admirable nonchalance. It is pleasure to hear someone playing well-known standards as if breathing in their aroma and then smiling. Titlebaum even makes fast be-bop tunes and his rapid-fire improvisations on them sound lyrical. On a slow number like Darn That Dream his sprightly navigation of its harmonies had the air of vivacious conversation enjoyed over a soothing cocktail." Click to read the full text of the review.
NEWS, August 28, 2010: Mike Titlebaum was the subject of a feature piece in the local newspaper, The Ithaca Times. Click to view the full article.
NEWS, August 10, 2010: Mike Titlebaum was just awarded 2nd place winner in the Hillcrest Wind Ensemble composition contest.Performance of his piece Danca Latina will be on November 6, 2010 in San Diego.