National Anthem Singer: Lucy Wijnands ’20

With her serene, spirited, and rich alto tone, emerging jazz vocalist, Lucy Wijnands is a dedicated enthusiast of jazz music from its beginnings to today. She has completed a five month residency with the Birdland Big Band, directed by David DeJesus and has performed with musicians as acclaimed as Joe Lovano, Jon Faddis, and Kenny Washington. In 2016, marking the beginning of her professional jazz studies, she appeared in concert with rising star pianist, Julius Rodriguez at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room.

Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, she got her start performing with her father, master of stride piano, Bram Wijnands. From a very young age, she sang with her father in many jazz clubs in Kansas City, including the Majestic, the Blue Room, Green Lady Lounge, as well as the Endless Mountain Musical Festival in Pennsylvania. In the summer of 2017, she and her father toured in Europe, enriching her musical scopes. The two toured together again in the Netherlands in the summer of 2019, while also making their duo debut at the Birdland Theater. Lucy has also performed in Tokyo, Japan, serving as an ambassador for Purchase College.

Once relocating from Kansas City to New York in 2013, Lucy studied with renowned vocalist, Anne Phillips. While attending Hastings High school, she participated in numerous school bands, musical productions and All-State jazz ensembles. She worked with esteemed musicians, such as Bob Kindred, Paul Meyers and Corky Siegel. She was nominated for a Maestro Award by the Philadelphia Heritage Festival in high school.

As an Ella Fitzgerald scholar in the Conservatory of Music, she draws inspiration from Jazz Studies director Peter Malinverni, voice professor Alexis Cole, Ingrid Jensen, and jazz icon, Jon Faddis.

She will also be competing as one of the five finalists in the 4th Annual Ella Fitzgerald Competition in October 2020.