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About Us
History
The Sapphire Jazz Ensemble was started in 2023 by Nichole Heglund. As a woman in jazz herself, Nichole recognized that men dominated the jazz scene in Reno. She decided to create a place where women could come together, play jazz, and have fun! Since then, the Sapphire Jazz Ensemble has played multiple gigs around the Reno area and has even commissioned their own composition - "Sapphire Dance" by Annie Booth.
Mission
Our mission is to inspire girls of all ages to continue in jazz. Our hope is that by continuing to play music around town, that girls will see a place for themselves in the jazz scene.
Our Group
Our group is made up of both professional musicians and women who play just for fun. We are composed of music educators, business women, musicians and students that span many decades of ages. But most important of all - we have fun!
Special Thanks
We extend our gratitude to the Reno Jazz Orchestra and Vernon Scarbrough for their incredible support, providing rehearsal space, and allowing us the use of equipment.
We thank Rachael Cowell and Reno High School as well as Nathaniel Myers and Billinghurst Middle School for providing rehearsal space.
Special thanks to Cheryl DeRosa, Barb Molt, Jessika Smith, Cami Thompson, Erika Paul, and Caryn Neidhold for generously donating music.
We appreciate Gary Mayne, Chris Clark, Dylan Coleman-Tunstall, Hans Halt, Andy Heglund, Josh Reed, David Brennan, and Jessika Smith for sharing their time and expertise throughout the past year.
A huge thank you goes to Missy Mazurowski for all of her time and the design of the Sapphire website.
Many thanks to Sarah Nelson @sarah.n.designs for designing our logo and to Jennifer Mannix and volunteers for their assistance at performances.
Director / Founder
Nichole Heglund - Director
Originally from Denver, Nichole moved to Reno and began teaching music in 2003. Over the years, she has taught and inspired students in jazz ensembles, middle and high school bands and choirs in the Washoe County School District. Her groups have been honored with spotlight performances, including the 2019 Reno Jazz Festival. Nichole directs the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra and is the Education Director for the Reno Jazz Orchestra. She is also the founder and director of Sapphire Jazz Ensemble, an all-women big band in Northern Nevada. Nichole is a saxophonist, guest conductor, active clinician and adjudicator in Northern Nevada and California.
Trumpets
Barb Molt - Trumpet 1
Rachel Perkins - Trumpet 3
Joi Cerveri - Trumpet 2
Joi Cerveri - Trumpet 2
Rachel Perkins - Trumpet 3
Joi Cerveri - Trumpet 2
Rachel Perkins - Trumpet 3
Rachel Perkins - Trumpet 3
Rachel Perkins - Trumpet 3
Katharine May - Trumpet 4
Rachel Perkins - Trumpet 3
Rachel Perkins - Trumpet 3
Katharine May is excited to join Sapphire on 4th trumpet! When not playing, she teaches brass students in the Reno area and coaches marching wind and percussion ensembles year-round. She also enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, and hanging out with her cat.
Trombones
Ashley Cotton - Trombone 1
Kate Kirkpatrick - Trombone 3
Ashley Cotton - Trombone 1
Carol Gribbin - Trombone 2
Kate Kirkpatrick - Trombone 3
Ashley Cotton - Trombone 1
Carol has a Bachelor of Music Performance from San Francisco State University. She attended Tanglewood Brass Institute Summer Program as well as the Keystone Summit Brass Institute, where she brought her quintet, The Pacific Brass, to perform. While at the Keystone Brass institute she performed as auxiliary brass with the Festival
Orchestr
Carol has a Bachelor of Music Performance from San Francisco State University. She attended Tanglewood Brass Institute Summer Program as well as the Keystone Summit Brass Institute, where she brought her quintet, The Pacific Brass, to perform. While at the Keystone Brass institute she performed as auxiliary brass with the Festival
Orchestra, featuring Doc Severinsen at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre. She has been a member of the Berkeley Symphony, the Napa Symphony, and the Bay Area Women’s Philharmonic. Here in Reno, she has performed with the Reno Philharmonic, Reno Municipal Band, and Nevada Opera. She currently plays in the Biggest Little Big Band, the JG Kicks Big Band and the Battle Born Brass dectet in addition to the Sapphire
Jazz Ensemble.
Kate Kirkpatrick - Trombone 3
Kate Kirkpatrick - Trombone 3
Kate Kirkpatrick - Trombone 3
Kate Kirkpatrick is thrilled to play trombone with Sapphire Jazz. In her day job, she's the Director of Marketing and Communications at Truckee Meadows Community College. She also serves as the Delta B Province Officer for Sigma Alpha Iota women's music fraternity, is on the Advisory Board for Note-Able Music Therapy Services, and she pla
Kate Kirkpatrick is thrilled to play trombone with Sapphire Jazz. In her day job, she's the Director of Marketing and Communications at Truckee Meadows Community College. She also serves as the Delta B Province Officer for Sigma Alpha Iota women's music fraternity, is on the Advisory Board for Note-Able Music Therapy Services, and she plays ukulele at First Congregational Church of Reno. Her musical family includes her husband, Jay (trombone), and their two sons, Jimmy (french horn) and Aaron (percussion).
Elizabeth Jones - Trombone 4
Kate Kirkpatrick - Trombone 3
Kate Kirkpatrick - Trombone 3
Saxophones
Chelsea Elsberry - Alto 1
Natalia Tomasello - Tenor 1
Chelsea Elsberry - Alto 1
Caitlin Hoon - Alto 2
Natalia Tomasello - Tenor 1
Chelsea Elsberry - Alto 1
Natalia Tomasello - Tenor 1
Natalia Tomasello - Tenor 1
Natalia Tomasello - Tenor 1
Leslie Stockholm - Tenor 2
Leslie Stockholm - Tenor 2
Natalia Tomasello - Tenor 1
Missy Mazurowski - Bari
Leslie Stockholm - Tenor 2
Missy Mazurowski - Bari
Missy is from the Bay Area in California. She moved to Reno in 2015 where she attended the University of Nevada Reno. Missy started playing music at the age of six and played alto / bari saxophone through middle and high school. She is currently a member of the Reno Wind Symphony and is a software engineer in her spare time.
Rhythm Section
Erika Paul - Piano
Sierra Appleby - Drums
Julie Machado - Bass
From San Francisco California, working jazz pianist, singer and songwriter Erika Paul can be found performing often for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, corporate events, hotels, restaurants and clubs across northern Nevada, California, Hawaii, France and England.
Her numerous recordings as a self-published independent music artist ar
From San Francisco California, working jazz pianist, singer and songwriter Erika Paul can be found performing often for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, corporate events, hotels, restaurants and clubs across northern Nevada, California, Hawaii, France and England.
Her numerous recordings as a self-published independent music artist are available through all major digital and physical music platforms.
In 2001, she was called to help prepare young jazz musicians and singers to perform big band music and to work for and with Wynton Marsalis and Ted Nash in the Truckee and Tahoe California areas as a part of the Lincoln Center Essentially Ellington Jazz Education Program.
Erika holds her AA degree in general music from the College of San Mateo and her BA degree in Jazz Performance from San Jose State University.
Website: www.thejazzlady.com
Julie Machado - Bass
Sierra Appleby - Drums
Julie Machado - Bass
Caryn Neidhold - Bass
Sierra Appleby - Drums
Sierra Appleby - Drums
Sierra Appleby - Drums
Sierra Appleby - Drums
Sierra Appleby - Drums
Willemina Dukes - Drums
Cami Thompson - Vocal/Percussion
Cami Thompson - Vocal/Percussion
Heyyy! My name is Willemina Dukes and I’m stoked to play the drums for Sapphire Jazz Ensemble. It’s an honor to play with such a talented group of women. I’m from Incline Village, Nevada and am currently a junior at Incline High School. I am the President of Tri-M Music Honors Society and also run the Jazz Combo Club at my high school. I
Heyyy! My name is Willemina Dukes and I’m stoked to play the drums for Sapphire Jazz Ensemble. It’s an honor to play with such a talented group of women. I’m from Incline Village, Nevada and am currently a junior at Incline High School. I am the President of Tri-M Music Honors Society and also run the Jazz Combo Club at my high school. I also play the drums in the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra. Aside from my passion for jazz music, I also enjoy snowboarding, skateboarding and competitive swimming.
Cami Thompson - Vocal/Percussion
Cami Thompson - Vocal/Percussion
Cami Thompson - Vocal/Percussion