Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association

The 8th Annual Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Audition

On March 19, 2012, over 350 audience members were enthralled by the songs of the eleven vocalists auditioning for a spot to be guest singers at the Kobe Jazz Vocal Queen Contest in Kobe, Japan on May 8.

Please join us in congratulating Nancy Erickson (winner of the adult division) and Taylor Zickefoose (winner of the youth division). They depart for Japan on May 3.
We also congratulate Kathryn Claus (Special Mention for the Adult Division) and Ana Ryseff (Special Mention for the Youth Division). They received $125 gift certificates to Dimitriou's Jazz Alley.

We would like to thank all the singers, accompanists, judges, and all who support the Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association's jazz exchange program. If you are interested in working on this program, please contact Mari Maruyama Carpenter at mari.m.carpenter@gmail.com. Those interested in auditioning for the 2013 event, please check our website in December!

A big thanks go to our sponsors: Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Sankei Travel, Shinkaichi Music Street and the Kobe Trade Information Office; and Consul General Kiyokazu Ota and Seattle Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith for their remarks at the event; and past winners Jacqueline Tabor, Kelila Gottlieb and Emi Meyer for coming back to sing!

Check out the recent Examiner.com article.

From right to left: Adult Division Winner - Nancy Erickson; Youth Division Winner - Taylor Zickefoose; Adult Division Special Mention - Kathryn Claus; Youth Division Special Mention - Ana Ryseff

SKSCA Vocal Judge Misha Berson with Youth Division Winner - Taylor Zickefoose

Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith offers his best wishes to the auditioners and shares his connection to jazz.

SKSCA judges eagerly await the start of the audition:
(right to left) Milt Hamlin, Jim Wilke, WIlliam Montgomery, and Misha Berson.

Corporate sponsors:

Gobo Enterprises is a is a corporate member of SKSCA. See the list of all the corporate members and sponsors here.