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Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition 2016 - Finals: Arta Jekabsone

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Congratulations to Arta Jekabsone, who has been elected as the winner of the Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition 2016.

Inspired by the quote “Love what you do and do what you love” (Ray Bradbury), Arta Jekabsone is fulfilling herself with singing. Arta is born in Latvia, while singing, she had nine years of classical violin training . Last year she graduated department of jazz and popular music at Riga Choir Cathedral School, and as she won a full- scholarship at The New School For Jazz and Contemporary music, she is continuing to improve her knowledge about jazz music in New York City with great mentors such as Janet Lawson, Kate Baker, Reggie Workman, La Tanya Hall, Cecil Bridgewater, Richard Boukas, and many more.
Arta has mastered her skills and knowledge about jazz music participating in master-classes at Rigas Ritmi Festival, Brass& Jazz, Ventspils Groove, Saulkrasti Jazz.
Back in Latvia she worked with funk/groove band “Bunch of Gentlemen”, with whom she had played in Klaipeda Sea Festival (2013), Riga’s Ritmi Show Case Festival (2015), and “Let’s Groove”. Arta had the opportunity to sing at Klaipeda Castle Jazz Festival(2014) as a backup singer for Sheila Ray Charles, daughter of Ray Charles, as well as record album together. Recently, with the newest project that has been established with students during her studies at The New School, quartet “ Dinner Party” went to play at Berne Jazz Festival.
During her lifetime, she had participated in many vocal contests and awarded, in 2013 she was awarded as a 3rd prizewinner at the contest “ Ineses Galantes Talanti”.
Arta’s biggest dream is to establish her career as a musician, defining herself as apart of music, and being a color in the wide musical pallet.