SCH Welcomes 2023 Jamie Bell '78 Music Fund Artist Hailey Brinnel

SCH Academy is proud to announce the 2023 Jamie Bell '78 Fund artist, Hailey Brinnel and the Hailey Brinnel Quintet. In this role, Brinnel, a trombonist, vocalist, and educator, will be working with students in classes and clubs and through assembly performances with the Hailey Brinnel Quintet on April 18 and 19. The larger SCH community will also have the opportunity to meet and see her perform on April 22 at the annual fundraiser: For the Love of PHILAnthropy.

Brinnel, who is based in Philadelphia and recently released her album, Beautiful Tomorrow, began performing at the age of 12 throughout New England with her father, Dave Brinnel. She was a finalist in the 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and featured on Spotify's “Best Vocal Jazz of 2022” editorial playlist. She has performed at venues worldwide and played with artists such as The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, The Philly Pops, Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Ingrid Jensen, Anat Cohen, Tony Glausi, Haley Reinhart, Camille Thurman, and Pell. As part of the Temple University Jazz Band, led by Terell Stafford, she has played and recorded alongside many of today's top jazz artists. Her performance highlights include prestigious venues such as Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in New York City, The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., The North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, and more. 

Her debut album, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles peaked at No. 13 on Amazon's “Jazz New Release” chart, and No. 44 on the website's “Jazz Best-Seller” chart.  Her music is rooted firmly in the original intentions of 1920s-1940s jazz, arranged to preserve energy but undoubtedly breathed new life into them. Acclaimed trumpeter Terell Stafford praises Brinnel for “honoring the history of this music” and sounding “so pure and soulful” that “I can’t stop listening!” 
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As an educator, Brinnel has worked in a variety of settings spanning early childhood, elementary, secondary instrumental and vocal, private lessons, master classes, as well as collegiate-level education courses.  She is currently on faculty at The University of the Arts, The Kimmel Center, and works as a guest clinician to bring jazz education to classrooms throughout the city.  She was also a featured clinician at the 2020 National Jazz Conference with her workshop, "A Melodic Approach to Scat Singing." 
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Established in 2014, the Jamie Bell '78 Music Fund was inspired by the life and musical passions of Jamie Bell ’78. This fund will foster a lifetime appreciation of musical genres that are derivatives of the blues: jazz, rock and roll, gospel, and country music for our SCH students and community. 

Read the Philadelphia Inquirer profile about Brinnel here.