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About Me

I never stop learning, creating, exploring, failing, trying again. 

In my music making, I draw inspiration from improvisation, meditation, mindfulness and other contemplative practices, for which I am deeply grateful to all my teachers, living in this, and in other dimensions.

Elena walking on the shore

photo by ©ElisaCaldana

My Story

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photo by ©ElisaCaldana

Where do I begin?
I suppose, at the beginning.

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Even as a baby in the crib, I was already making music. My mother noticed how fascinated I was with newspapers:

I loved the crackling sound they made in my tiny hands, crafting my first compositions out of crumples and rustles.

 

By the time I was in a highchair, I had moved on to my father’s harmonica, tooting between bursts of song. As a little girl, I sang non-stop on family car rides, much to my cousin’s eternal annoyance!

 

In kindergarten, I was the soloist in the school choir. At home, my friends treated me like a human jukebox, trading songs for hair-brushing or turns with their favorite toys.

 

I never planned to become a singer.

But music kept calling me, gently at first, then insistently, until I could no longer ignore it.

Eventually, I gave in. And when I did, I dove in fully.

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And now, here I am

More details

Born in Venice, Italy, Elena began her musical studies on piano and later on voice at the "Thelonious Monk" jazz school with Carla Marcotulli; moreover, she studied opera with soprano Francesca Scaini. In 1992, she attended the clinic of Bob Stoloff in Umbria Jazz '92 and participated in master-classes and workshops with, amongst others, Jay Clayton, Sheila Jordan, Mark Murphy, and Meredith Monk.

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In 1994 Elena joined the choir "Venice Gospel Ensemble" as soloist with which she recorded several CDs and sang in many theaters and national television shows. She worked with several groups in Italy and as a leader she performed in clubs, theaters and festivals; she also worked as recording vocalist for numerous artists on the Italian national scene.

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Elena worked as a "living installation" at the Biennale 2003, in Venice, for the artist Tino Sehgal; in July 2004 she won the Best Student Award at the Michelle Hendricks' jazz vocal workshop with the Spoleto Arts Symposia. In 2008 Elena moved to New York City where she  became part of the underground jazz scene, performing and working with many musicians of the New York Area and experimenting with actors, poets, dancers and filmmakers.

 

Since August 2015 she lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she performs with many musicians and artists of the greater Denver area,  teaches voice at the Naropa University, founded the "Nalanda Ensemble", started the monthly series for free improvisers "OH SNAP!"  and served for 6 years on the board of Creative Music Works.

 

Elena has been teaching voice, music ensemble and vocal ensemble since 1996 in Italy and the U.S.A.

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Recording experience:

  • Let’s Take Time Out (VGE)

  • Westbound Coach (VGE)

  • Guajira (Riccardo Scivales' Mi Ritmo)

  • Prove D’Autore (Daniele Meneghin)

  • The VGE’s Christmas Time Out (VGE)

  • Night Funk (Tommaso Genoversi)

  • Bertoldo Si Confessa Ridendo (Daniele Meneghin)

  • Never Knows (Tommaso Genovesi)

  • Grazie dei Fiori? (Elena Camerin Quintetto)

  • LZ (Quartetto Indirigibile)

  • The Octave Tunes (Carol Sudhalter)

  •  Leeways (Bob Bowen)

  • Jazz for All (Dexter Payne Quintet)

  • Play Doh -bonus tracks (Carmen Sandim)

  • The Moon in the Bucket (ECY Trio)

  • Nalanda Ensemble (Nalanda Ensemble)

  • Alone in the Tank (Elena Camerin Young)

  • Spettacolo Senza Burattini (Elena Camerin Young SSB)

  • She recorded on many projects with the Golden Globe winner composer Pino Donaggio. 

Elena in the recording studio

Photo by Khabu Doug Young

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