Amina M. Scott is a senior at Bishop O’Dowd High School where she
is in the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Jazz Combo. A
bassist, pianist, songwriter, and an award winning vibraphonist, she embarked on her musical
journey at the age of seven when her grandmother taught her how to play the
piano. Now, at sixteen she has performed with countless musicians including the
Oakland Public Conservatory of Music's Fredrick Douglass Youth Orchestra, OPC’s Marcus Shelby Youth Orchestra, Bay Area singers Simone Taylor and Anita Lofton, and the indie rock band Boston Harbor
as the co-founder. Amina studied bass under Earl Dewitt and Adam Lowdermilk, her school band director Fred Randolph, and
piano with Simon Russell. She is
teaching herself how to play her ukulele and learning the banjo to broaden her musical range during
her spare time. Amina is twice the recipient
of O’Dowd’s James Barbagallo Scholarship for music and academic excellence.
Ayinde P. Webb is a senior at the Oakland School of the Arts with
an emphasis in percussions. He was
inspired to drum at a young age while sitting on his father’s knee and feeling
the timing and pulsating rhythms. Ayinde
is currently in the Young Musicians Program (YMP) at the University of
California, Berkeley. Prior to joining YMP, he attended classes and workshops
with master drummers and musicians E.W. Wainwright, Donald “Duck” Bailey,
Babatunde Lea, Jaz Sawyer, Airto Moriera, Angela Wellman (founder of Oakland
Public Conservatory of Music), Marcus Shelby, and Khalil Shaheed. He plays in the Oakland School of the Arts
Jazz Combo, OPC’s Frederick Douglass Youth Ensemble, and is host of OPC’s “Jazz
the Next Generation”, a jam session for youths on Friday evenings. He is the
drummer for Heart and Soul Center of Light in Oakland.
Brenden Foster is a senior at the Oakland School of the Arts with
an emphasis in vocal music. Brenden has
been singing for two years at OSA in the concert choir and it has been more than
he anticipated. It is one of his
favorite things to do. Brenden sang at
the historic Fox Theater, church events, football and basketball games, and at
the election party for the new Governor of CA, Jerry Brown. Brenden plans to purse a singing career after
high school and attend college.
Deja’nae Parks is a senior
at the Oakland School of the Arts with an emphasis in music theory and vocal
techniques. Deja’nae studies at OSA with music teachers Cava Menzies, Branice
McKenzie, and Alex Taite. She has been singing all of her life. She performed at the Golden State Warrior’s
game in 2009 with her school choir. Besides singing in the OSA choir, Deja’nae
is a soloist at her church, Center of Hope Community Church in Oakland, a
member of the gospel group Majestic, and a solo artist working on a gospel
album. She writes her own songs and is an inspired gospel singer who hopes to
motivate young people to sing gospel when she attains her dream to be on BET’s Sunday’s Best.
Matt Wong is a frosh in high school. His musical influences include Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Smith, John Coltrane, and Wayne Shorter. He studies mainly with Art Khu, and also plays and performs with ensembles at the Jazzschool in Berkeley, as well as the Oaktown Jazz Workshop with Khalil Shaheed. He has performed with vocalist Jacqui Naylor at venues including the Blue Note in New York, Jazz Alley and The Triple Door in Seattle, and Yoshi's in Oakland and San Francisco. In addition, Matt performs with is own group, The Matt Wong Trio. Matt was the recipient of the 2010 Dick Conte Piano Scholarship awarded by the Jazzschool.
Tracy Fitzsimmons is a senior at the Oakland School of the Arts with an emphasis in instrumental
music. He began playing the trumpet as
an 11 year old. Tracy also plays the
piano, hand percussion, and the drums.
At the School of the Arts, Tracy is in the Jazz Band and the Jazz
Combo. He also plays with the SF Jazz High School All-Stars Big Band and the Oakland
Public Conservatory of Music’s Fredrick Douglass Youth Ensemble, OPC’s Marcus
Shelby Youth Ensemble, vocalist Simone Taylor. In 2011, Tracy received the "Outstanding Soloist Award" at the Monterey Blues Festival, playing with SF Jazz. He also attended the Stanford Jazz Workshop and received 4 awards, including "Outstanding Soloist," "Outstanding Musician," and a full scholarship to the 2012 workshop.