John Knutson
Vocal Jazz Ensembles, Jazz Vocal Technique, Jazz Vocal Improvisation
John Knutson is Director of Choral Studies at Cuesta College, and interim director of vocal jazz at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. He is also a member of the professional vocal jazz ensemble Vocalogy, formed by Phil Mattson in 1998. Before moving to California, John taught at Treasure Valley Community College in Oregon, and at Southwestern Community College in Iowa. While at Southwestern, he performed all over the US and Europe with the award-winning vocal jazz group VoicesIowa. Prior to that John lived in New York, where he taught vocal music at JHS #263 in Brooklyn, and performed with the a cappella cabaret group, the QuintEssentials.
Under his direction, Cuesta Vocé performed at the 2005 National ACDA Convention in Los Angeles and at the 2003 IAJE convention in Toronto. John has served as a clinician at jazz and choral festivals in Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Oregon. John has numerous choral compositions; his vocal jazz arrangements are available through UNC Jazz Press. John holds a Masters in Conducting degree from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelors in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota.