Jazz singer & bassist Kate Davis & violinist Andrea Jarrett have made quite an impression in the music world, recently performing at an event honoring Robert Redford, Salman Rushdie and others. Both musicians are 2009 YoungArts award winners – today, YoungArts representative Kate McPherson checks in with an update on the two…

On October 5, two accomplished YoungArts alumni, jazz singer and bassist Kate Davis and violinist Andrea Jarrett performed at the Americans for the Arts National Arts Awards event in New York City. The event honored luminaries such as Robert Redford, Salman Rushdie, Ed Ruscha and Sidney Harman. Both Kate and Andrea were 2009 YoungArts Silver Award winners and Presidential Scholars in the Arts. They were standout stars at YoungArts Week in Miami last January, displaying a talent and professionalism far beyond their years.

Kate has had an extraordinary love of music since the age of four. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon she is trained as a bassist, violinist and jazz singer. Kate has served as principle second violin and principal bass in the Portland Youth Philharmonic, participated in the GRAMMY Band and won Downbeat Awards for arranging and voice. Kate performed with the YoungArts Jazz Band all throughout YoungArts Week, at venues including the Colony Theater on Lincoln Road and Upstairs at the Van Dyke, alongside legendary jazz singer Nicolle Henry. Kate’s unique voice and mastery of the bass were the buzz of YoungArts Week, it was clear from the moment we saw her perform that she is going to be a star. She performed on stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for the Presidential Scholars event and has been invited to play with the jazz band at YoungArts’ 2010 An Affair of the Arts Performance and Gala, January 16, 2010. Kate just started her freshman year at the Manhattan School of Music.

A master of the violin from Saline Michigan, Andrea has been playing since the early age of three. She has had a stellar career performing as a soloist with the Toledo, Dearborn, Birmingham-Bloomfield and Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestras. Andrea has garnered many accolades for her passionate performances, and during YoungArts Week she impressed everyone with her talent and maturity. Andrea also gave a moving performance at the Kennedy Center for the Presidential Scholars event. She is now a freshman at Juilliard, where she was awarded a full scholarship.

To learn more about YoungArts visit youngarts.org