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Celtic fiddler and Jazz violinist Jeremy Kittel is rapidly earning a reputation as one of the nation’s most creative young musicians, equally adept at a wide range of styles including Scottish, Irish, jazz, contemporary classical and bluegrass. The 2000 US National Scottish Fiddle Champion and Junior National Champion of 1998 and 1999, Kittel also qualified for international competition in Irish fiddle four consecutive years. In 2003 he competed in the first American String Teacher Association/National Band and Orchestra Association Alternative Styles Competition, winning the Alfred Award for Best Improvisation, Mark O’Connor Award of Merit and International Association for Jazz Education Award for Best Jazz Performance. Since then, Jeremy has been awarded the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin, the 2004 Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Acoustic Instrumentalist, 2005 and 2006 Detroit Music Awards for Outstanding Folk Artist, 2006 Detroit Music Awards for Outstanding Jazz Album and Outstanding Jazz Composer, and the ASTA Alternative Strings Award for Music Traditions. He graduated from the University of Michigan at 20, earning their highest musical honor, the Stanley Medal, and has a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music.
Kittel has performed at over a thousand concerts and festivals over the past few years including the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center, “A Prairie Home Companion,” the Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony, Carnegie Hall, Chicago Celtic Fest, Bethlehem Musikfest, Detroit Festival of the Arts & Milwaukee Irish Fest. He has appeared as guest artist with the Turtle Island String Quartet, Republic of Strings, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and has taught at many camps and schools such as the International Music Academy in the Czech Republic, Swannanoa Gathering and Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camps in Nashville and San Diego. His first CD, Celtic Fiddle, was called “one of the top 20 Celtic albums of 2000, and certainly the best by a new young artist,” by the radio show Celtic Connections. His second, Roaming, drew praise from a broad range of publications including Sing Out and Fiddler Magazine, and took second place for Best Celtic Instrumental Album in a competition of 10,000 CDs. Jazz Violin won the 2006 Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Jazz Recording. As one reviewer said, “It’s a much over-used cliché, but I really believe this is what genius sounds like. Highly recommended!”
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