Claire Herzog: An Amalgam of Musical Callings

Claire Herzog Jazz Musician Ozarks Missouri

Claire Herzog image by Julia Smith.

Claire Burrell Herzog is a born-and-raised Springfieldian who weaves together her diverse gifts as a multi-genre performer, educator, composer, and perpetual explorer of the Arts.

 “Making a full-time career of music definitely has its challenges, but I am living the dream! I believe the variety within my work keeps me agile, adaptive, and eager to keep learning,” Claire exclaims as she maps out her patchwork profession. “I teach voice privately and as an adjunct professor at Evangel University; I perform frequently in jazz, classical, and bluegrass/folk ensembles and as a soloist; I write and arrange songs for myself, others, and my church; and on lunch breaks I read scholarly articles about vocal science and pedagogy to continue feeding my curiosity!”

Claire's musical story is inseparable from her upbringing. “I am blessed to be the youngest in a very musical family. From the get-go, my life soundtrack was a shuffle of classical masterpieces, jazz standards, bluegrass, folk, alternative/indie, disco, and the many other genres constantly surrounding me.” 

The Burrell family goes beyond just listening to music together – they have been performing together as the band Eclectica (named for their eclectic variety of genres and instruments) for almost a decade now. “My mother plays piano, accordion, and cello; my father sings and plays guitar and cajon; my brother plays guitar and stand-up bass; I sing and play violin," she shares. 

Recognizing from a very young age that music would be her path, Claire took violin lessons all throughout grade school and rose up as a leader in several honors orchestras. But in college, she decided to refocus her musical efforts into studying classical voice. 

Since graduating from Missouri State University with a bachelor’s degree in Vocal/Choral Music Education and a master’s degree in Vocal Performance, she has fully branched back out into multi-genre expedition as a vocalist and violinist. “I’ve been especially diving deeper into jazz the past couple years. Getting to know and collaborate with talented experts in our area is such an honor!”

 Claire attributes her vocal jazz style to a cohort of legends including Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Julie London, Blossom Dearie, Doris Day, and Sarah Vaughan. She adds with a chuckle, “Though I will say, because I’m a classically-trained soprano, the range of most female jazz singers sits much lower than mine. It’s usually a better fit for me to sing along up the octave with recordings of males such as Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, so there’s quite a bit of their influence in the mix too!”

Despite her easy-going nature, Claire admits that she sometimes still gets pre-concert jitters. “If I’m really nervous for a performance, my remedy is to dance and giggle ridiculously backstage. It helps let out the ‘butterflies’ and turns my nervous energy into excitement! I also try to focus primarily on my role as a storyteller and imagine that I am reading a fairytale to adorable preschoolers.” 

Looking to the future, Claire excitedly shares about some upcoming events. “On February 22nd, I’m thrilled to be collaborating with the Missouri Philharmonic Orchestra as the soprano soloist for a gorgeous song cycle called ‘Heart on the Wall’. That concert will be in Springfield at The Barley House at Moontown Crossing, 7:30pm start time. You all should come!” She continues on, “Another opportunity I’m giddy about is my first international gig as a vocal/choral clinician! In May, I’ll be traveling to England to work with the Barnsley Youth Choir for a weekend by invitation of their incredible director, Mat Wright, who I met on choir tour in South Africa a couple years ago.”

“My message to 417jazz.com readers is that this community is rich with amazing talents to enjoy and support. I love contributing as an educator, performer, and collaborator alongside many friends and allies here in my hometown. I encourage you to read the other articles on this website and add some great local events into your calendar!”

You can keep up with Claire’s musical adventures, contact for booking, and subscribe to special event invitations through her website:claireherzog.com.

Follow along through Claire’s Website.

Claire Herzog Sings Jazz

Claire Herzog image Hannah Alarid of Guerrilla Creative.

Find live jazz in Springfield, MO

Interested in writing for us? We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at hello@417jazz.com

Previous
Previous

Branford Marsalis and MOJO Big Band: A Jazz Spectacle at The Gillioz

Next
Next

The Paper Moons: Blending Timeless Jazz with Nostalgic Americana