Each year, an audition committee of professional musicians and faculty selects a few exceptional student ensembles to represent the NEC Honors Ensemble Program. The ensembles work with a faculty coach and are given an opportunity to perform a spring recital in NEC’s Jordan Hall.
The members of tonight’s 2024-2025 Honors Ensemble, Hear Your Story, are students in the Jazz Department and were coached by Farayi Malek.
Juliana Bautista ’28, voice
Jillian Moore ’25 MM, voice, bass
Mina Nystad ’25 GC, voice, piano
Farrell Smith ’27, voice
Rania Toli ’25 MM, voice, guitar
Hear Your Story is an innovative and dynamic vocal group consisting of five jazz vocalists from
the prestigious NEC jazz vocalists. The group brings together both undergraduate and graduate
students who hail from different corners of the globe, each contributing their own cultural and
musical perspectives. The members of the group – Jillian Moore, Juliana Bautista, Farrell Smith,
Rania Toli, and Mina Nystad – are united by their shared passion for vocal artistry. They explore
an array of musical genres and vocal textures through both original compositions and creative
arrangements, skillfully weaving together a wide range of styles, including traditional and
contemporary jazz and indie-pop. As they experiment with vocal textures and harmonies, they seek to explore the potentials of bringing human voices together. Each performance is a vibrant
storytelling experience, allowing the audience to connect deeply with the music and the emotions conveyed through song.
Spalding: Fall In
Mayo: Another Love
Wheeler: Sweet Time Suite, Part 1: Opening
Nystad: Raining Away
Baker/Bridgers/Dacus: Without You Without Them
Bley: Slow Dance
Säje: Desert Song
Moore: Recipe Box
Mayo: You and You