BACKSTORY: Svetlana blends her classical training with the energy and expression of jazz to create a unique sound, influenced by her homeland, her adopted homeland, and love of American culture. To celebrate this newfound synergy, Svetlana Stone has recorded her DEBUT JAZZ album The Girl from Liepāja. It was released December 21, 2021.
PASSION AND INTERCULTURAL EXPRESSION: Jazz has given Svetlana a new freedom to express the cultural connection through her life’s experience between Latvia and America. The historical foundation of jazz is a story of victory over oppression that promotes peace, freedom of expression, and diversity. She believes it is important to educate and bring awareness to people that jazz is not just beautiful music, it also has the power to unite people. Her goal is to promote cross-cultural connection and artistic diplomacy between American and Latvian culture through the uniquely American art form of jazz.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Svetlana is a Latvian musician, singer, songwriter, journalist and producer of a new show, Artist’s Voices, raising awareness about the support artists need to succeed and the diverse skills needed behind the scenes. As a classically trained singer, she recently began to immerse herself in jazz. These styles represent the two cultures that have impacted her social experience and ignited her musical passion. Svetlana is a unique artist who sings in many languages, styles and genres including opera, jazz and contemporary Christian music.
She has a music degree of arts in Music Performance, from Emilis Melngailis Liepaja Music College in Latvia. In 2021 she earned a Graduate Certificate in Music Performance from the Irving S. Gilmore School of Music at Western Michigan University (WMU) and is currently working towards her Master's degree in Music Performance, which she will complete in the Fall Semester of 2023.
Svetlana was awarded 3rd prize in the Michigan Chapter of the 2022 National Student Competition, hosted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).
Elected a member of the National Music Honor Society of Pi Kappa Lambda by the Beta Sigma chapter in 2022 for her superior academic accomplishments, her outstanding musical and artistic achievements, and her leadership in musical endeavors and careers.
In 2022, she was a member of the Western Michigan University Gold Company, an internationally award-winning vocal jazz ensemble.
Among her numerous awards and distinctions Svetlana has twice received Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation Scholarship Awards and grants from Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. She worked with the New York Voices, coached by world-class musicians such as Kim Nazarian, Lauren Kinhan, Darmon Meader, Greg Jasperse, and Peter Eldridge.
She was selected to receive a semiannual “Make a Difference” award from Western Michigan University in 2022 and nominated for the 2023 “Make a Difference” Annual Award.
She was invited to the XIV International Latvian Young Musicians Master Class, "Mūzikas interpretācija mūsdienās" and honored to work with Inga Slubovska-Kancevica, one of the leading singers of the Latvian National Opera.
She performed at the first U.S. Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Minnesota in Summer 2022 as a member of the Latvian choir of Kalamazoo.
