By Mark Ambrogi
Since she was first introduced to jazz in fifth grade, Emma Hedrick has been hooked.
“All famous jazz players are amazing,” Hedrick said. “They have to know so much to be able to play jazz, because it’s one of the hardest styles of music.”
The Carmel High School sophomore sings and plays piano on jazz standards. She has headed a combo that has played a few times this summer at the Monon Depot Museum, the home of the Carmel Clay Historical Society. Her next appearance will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 4.
“It’s such a nice place for people to gather around and listen,” Hedrick said. “It’s fun to play there since it’s such a scenic area.”
Hedrick and her combo plan to play at the PorchFest in Carmel from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 13 in the Carmel Arts & Design District.
Hedrick, who turns 16 in February and wants to pursue jazz in college, works with Heather Ramsey Clark at Midwest School of Voice and attended a jazz camp at Butler this summer.
Hedrick’s jazz combo members include Savanna Sito and fellow CHS students Kalea Miao and Mitch Korolev. She met Sito through the Midwest School of Voice. She has known Miao and Korolev since Clay Middle School and was with both in jazz band in the 2014-15 school year.
“We practiced almost every weekend over the summer,” Hedrick said. “It’s more difficult than playing in the big band in the high school because I have to find all the music and arrange it myself. It’s good because I can pick out what songs I want to do and there are more vocal songs.”
