Vocal Performance major Chloe Boelter, a junior from Algonquin, Illinois, has been awarded an Indianapolis Jazz Foundation scholarship.

Boelter, who also plays the piano and has produced two solo albums, has performed as a vocalist with the Butler Jazz Ensemble since 2014 and also is a member of a jazz combo. She is one of five central Indiana college students to receive the $1,000 award from the foundation, which works to preserve the legacy and promote the future of jazz in Indianapolis.

“I was honored and extremely humbled to have received the scholarship,” she said. “It was even more surprising to find out at the event that I was the first vocalist to be nominated for that honor. Receiving the scholarship will help tremendously with my fund for participating in La Musica Lirica, a five-week intensive Italian Opera program over the summer.”

Boelter grew up in what she described as “a classical home,” played cello for ten years, and sang with a children’s chorus since the age of 7. But she hadn’t taken voice lessons until her senior year of high school. She started singing jazz in high school, and with the aid of multiple directors and teachers, “fell in love with the genre.”

“Some of the best experiences with jazz for me have been when I’m jamming with friends at 1:00 AM,” she said. “We’re all tired and vulnerable, and yet this raw passion takes over, allowing us all to sync up and follow where the song is taking us. Even if that moment lasts for a few measures, it’s always rewarding to walk away feeling like you’ve learned more about the art, yourself, and the other musicians you have the privilege of working with and calling your friends.””

After graduation, Boelter plans to take a year in Chicago to record more and research graduate schools. She also will look into travelling and performing within multiple genres, including jazz, musical theater, or opera.

 

Media contact:
Marc Allan
mallan@butler.edu
317-940-9822