MOORHEAD — It was an unforgettable evening in Christiansen Recital Hall as jazz lovers joined together to listen to guests, Rosana Eckert and Justin Binek on Feb. 9.
The pair of performers was invited to Concordia by the Vocal Jazz group.
“They are both incredible teachers and performers,” said Mya Lysne, a member of Concordia’s vocal jazz group.
Binek and Eckert started the night together with a duet.
Eckert is an artist with an international reputation in several areas of the music industry. She is involved in many things, a versatile live and studio vocalist, a jazz improviser, a creative songwriter and arranger and an educator of jazz and voice at the University of North Texas since 1999.
Binek is Quarterfinalist for the 2022 GRAMMY Music Educator Award and is a jazz and classical singer, pianist, clinician/adjudicator, arranger and composer. Binek is an Associate Professor of Music at Kansas City Kansas Community College where he specializes in music theory and jazz improvisation.
Eckert and Binek both took turns throughout the night soloing songs that they have written then joining together for a duet.
Later in the night Eckert and Binek were joined on stage by Concordia’s Vocal Jazz group where they performed together.
“Performing with Rosana and Justin was amazing! I’ve admired them as performers and songwriters for years so getting to perform their songs with them was truly a dream come true,” Lysne said.
Eckert had the crowd join in for her song “Waiting Room” that was written for her OBGYN while she was pregnant with her daughter who is now 14 years old.
Eckert and Binek shared the inspirations behind the songs.
Binek sang a lullaby that he had written for his daughter who is six years old. As well as a song he had written for his wife before they were dating.
Both shared songs that they had written for their students who may have been going through a difficult time.
“Although I haven’t lived the same experiences as them, I still felt a lot of emotions,” Lysne said.
Eckert and Binek shared the stage as they both would solo but switch off to accompany the other on the piano. Giving each their moment in the spotlight.
In regards to sharing the stage with other jazz artists Binek said, “when you understand the language, good things happen.”
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