Conductor, Kirk Roa

Bio: Pacific Northwest Voices is a vocal jazz group committed to carrying on the jazz tradition and its rich history. The group was originally formed in 2018 as a collaboration between three college institutions (Western Washington University, Central Washington University, and Edmonds Community College). Dedicated to giving back to the school communities its members were raised in, the Pacific Northwest Voices participates in local jazz festivals and school exchanges with the hope of inspiring the following generation and future generations of musicians to come.

Ensemble Statement: The Pacific Northwest Voices started as a collegiate collaboration between three institutions in the state of Washington. This group strives to carry on the vocal jazz tradition which is prominent and rapidly expanding in the Greater Seattle area. Participating at local jazz festivals and school exchanges, this ensemble's main mission is to inspire youth through music and connection so that they may continue to celebrate the rich culture of jazz music. Many of our members take part in other music communities, whether it be a church, school, or professional setting. Some members are private music instructors while others are school educators. It is evident through our work and profession that we value using music as a tool to connect with one another and to educate young and eager student musicians. Now reaching its 5th year of existence, the Pacific Northwest Voices focuses on performing meaningful music that can empower others to partake in the vocal jazz idiom. The members of this ensemble have ethnicities that include Filipino, Japanese, Latino, Black, and White backgrounds. Our ensemble and diversity gives us the opportunity to be a platform for underrepresented minorities in the choral and music education world. One of our goals is to reach out to individuals from all walks of life and to be an example of a high-achieving and culturally diverse ensemble within the American Choral Directors Association.