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Sarah Jerrom

Sarah Jerrom is a JUNO-nominated Canadian vocalist, pianist, composer and arranger specializing in jazz and creative music, taking her inspiration from lyric-driven melodies, genre-defying instrumentation and experimental soundscapes. As a bandleader, Sarah has released four critically-acclaimed albums to date: Magpie, a double album featuring her original eighty-six-minute suite for extended jazz orchestra (2024, TPR Records), Dream Logic (2021, TPR Records), which showcases a collection of original songs recorded by her contemporary jazz quartet of the same name, The Yeats Project (2017), featuring W.B. Yeats’s poetry set to original music and orchestrated for a nine-piece chamber jazz ensemble, and Illuminations (2007), which encompasses original compositions, jazz-inspired arrangements of contemporary songs and traditional jazz standards.

Recent performance highlights include “Magpie” showcases at the 2024 Toronto and Markham Jazz Festivals. Previous headliner performances include Canadian concert venues 918 Bathurst, The Music Gallery, Brock University’s Centre for the Arts, The Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, and many of Toronto’s top jazz clubs. Sarah has performed with renowned jazz artists such as Reg Schwager, Ingrid Jensen, Carnatic-fusion guitarist Prasanna as well as many other notable musicians; she has sung with Alex Samaras’ vocal group, GREX.

As a composer and arranger, Sarah has received awards such as the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival’s 2013 Special Project Initiative for “The Yeats Project,” and many federal and provincial grants to compose and present new works. Most recently, her large ensemble composition, “Part VIII: Crystallization (For R.)” from the “Magpie” Suite, was selected to be presented at the 2024 International Symposium for Jazz Composers and Arrangers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Sarah is a passionate music educator and private instructor, maintaining a private studio of voice, piano, and writing students. She applies the principles of Somatic Voicework™ in her studio and has completed extensive training in teaching all contemporary commercial music styles. Sarah completed review courses at The 2017 LoVetri Institute at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory in Berea, Ohio, USA after completing Jeanie LoVetri’s Somatic Voicework™ certification courses at the 2013 Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University in Virginia, USA. She has taught at Humber College’s jazz program and was on the 2010 vocal faculty at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai, India.

Sarah has studied composition with renowned Canadian composers Christine Jensen, Christopher Smith, Rick Wilkins (O.C.) and Andrew Downing. She earned her Bachelor of Music in jazz voice at the University of Toronto (2005), where she studied with some of Canada’s most esteemed jazz musicians including Heather Bambrick, Christine Duncan, Terry Promane, and Phil Nimmons.

New Sounds from Canada and More

by Bob Osborne
April 15, 2021

On this show we feature seven new albums that demonstrate the musical diversity of jazz. Three of them feature Canadian artists reflecting the current strength of the scene in that country. There's a new album from Posi-Tone and the remaining three releases are from European artists.Playlist Hector “Building 8" from Uncharted (Self Released) 00:00 Mareike Wiening “Metropolis Paradise" from Live at Bird's Eye Basel (Greenleaf) 08:19 Out to Dinner “Random" from Play On (Positone) 19:31 Sarah Jerrom “Snowblind" ...

“… a dazzlingly talented Canadian composer, songwriter and singer.” ★★★★ – Ivan Rod, Danish music critic

“... Jerrom sounds best when she is free of traditional confines...” – Robert Rusch, Cadence Magazine

“On the strengths of this (Magpie) album — be it in her skillful compositional work or excellent delivery by the orchestra—Sarah Jerrom has surely taken an important step in her career, serving notice as a talent to watch for on the Canadian jazz scene, and hopefully for many years to come.” - Marc Chénard - La Scena Musicale Magazine, Montreal

Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Toronto

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Toronto

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Sarah has almost 15 years of experience working as a music educator in Toronto, Oakville and Niagara. Her passion lies in helping each student discover and develop their own unique, individual sound using a joyful and compassionate learning process. She is currently accepting new private voice students (all levels and ages) and piano students (beginner – intermediate level) in her Niagara studio, located near downtown St. Catharines. "I am an elementary school teacher and I’ve been taking voice and piano lessons with Sarah for over three years. I didn’t consider myself a singer before starting, but singing has become a joyful part of my life and working with Sarah has consistently been the highlight of my week. She is bright and encouraging. She demonstrates dedication to her learners by continuing to develop her repertoire of teaching tools. She has empowered me as a singer and performer. I highly recommend her to anyone interested in music lessons." – Tessa Sarah’s voice specialization includes, but is not limited to, jazz and pop styles. She applies the principles of Somatic Voicework (TM) in her studio and has completed extensive training in teaching all contemporary commercial music styles. She also teaches piano lessons from beginner to intermediate levels. Other musical areas offered include: Composition Arranging Theory Improvisation Ear Training Sight Reading "We’re so pleased and impressed with Sarah’s enthusiastic and innovative approach to teaching music. In addition to traditional methods of instruction, she employs creative, “outside the box” techniques to motivate our son’s interest in his piano lessons and to foster a genuine love of music in him, which we feel is equally as important as learning the proper techniques. We’re very fortunate that our son has the opportunity to learn from Sarah and we appreciate all of the many ways she goes above and beyond to enrich his musical education!" – Heather and John As well as holding a degree in jazz voice performance from the University of Toronto (2005), Sarah attended The 2017 LoVetri Institute at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory in Ohio, USA and also completed Jeanie LoVetri’s Somatic Voicework (TM) certification courses at the 2013 Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University in Virginia, USA. She was on the vocal faculty at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai, India for the 2010 summer semester. Sarah has taught specialized classroom music courses at post-secondary, secondary, and primary levels, and has conducted several jazz and concert choirs in the Greater Toronto Area within the Montessori school system and private school system. Sarah also works as a musical director for Choir Nation, a team building company that uses the power of singing to connect and inspire employees. She also leads Choir Nation Niagara’s weekly drop-in choir, where all levels of singers are welcome.

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