Director of Jazz Studies

Studio: Mason Hall Room 105-A
Phone: (256) 782-5883
Email: anevala@jsu.edu
Links: andynevala.com
JSU Jazz Website


Dr. Andy Nevala currently directs Jazz Ensembles I and II, The Latin ensemble, and two combos, along with teaching Improvisation and several private jazz students. He was formerly the Coordinator of Jazz Studies at California State University, Stanislaus, where he conducted the Jazz Ensemble, Combos I-V, the Latin Ensemble, the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and taught courses including Jazz Pedagogy for the Music Educator, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz History, Jazz Piano, Jazz Arranging, and private lessons to the upper-division Jazz Studies Majors.

Dr. Nevala has been recognized by Downbeat magazine on nine different occasions, winning individual Downbeat Music Awards for composition (2002), arranging (2003), and performing/directing (2000, 2001, 2002). He also maintains an active performance schedule in the San Francisco area and across the United States and Europe.

He is widely in demand as guest conductor and clinician, conducting the 2010 Campbell Union District Music Festival Jazz Ensemble in San Jose, CA, and serving as a clinician at the Delta College Jazz Festival (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), the Folsom High School Jazz Festival (2008, 2010), the CMEA Hanford Jazz Festival (2009), the Sacramento State University Jazz Festival (2008, 2009), and the Manteca High School Combo Festival (2010).

While at the University of Northern Colorado he performed and recorded with UNC Lab I under the direction of Dr. Gene Aitkin, performing with Conrad Hertwig, Brian Lynch, Louis Bellson, Peter Erskine, and Pete Fountain. He opened for Kurt Elling, Russell Malone, Poncho Sanchez and McCoy Tyner. At the University of Colorado, Boulder, he performed and recorded with Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dr. John Davis, and Combo I, directed by Chip Stephens, and performed with Chris Potter, Jiggs Whigam, and James Carter. Dr. Nevala has also been commissioned to arrange for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Denver Brass, the Steve Lippia Big Band, Conjunto Colores, several San Francisco Bay Area groups, and has recorded on over 20 CDs released in the US, Japan, and South America.

Having studied under Dr. John Davis, Chip Stephens, Art Lande, and Pat Bianci, Dr. Nevala holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Piano Pedagogy from the University of Colorado, Boulder, a Master of Music degree in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Boise State University. His professional affiliations include ASCAP and AMA.