PRESENTED BY CARNEGIE HALL’S WEILL MUSIC INSTITUTE, MAY 12–16, 2014
Closing Concert in Zankel Hall on Friday, May 16 Features
Paquito D’Rivera, His Ensemble, and Workshop Participants
From May 12 to 16, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute will present a workshop for young jazz instrumentalists led by renowned Latin jazz artist Paquito D’Rivera. The prolific composer, conductor, clarinetist, and saxophonist teams up with members of his ensemble to mentor these young jazz musicians during an intensive weeklong workshop, co-designed by acclaimed bassist and educator Oscar Stagnaro, that culminates with a concert in Zankel Hall on Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. During the concert, the young musicians will perform music composed by D’Rivera and other Latin jazz works alongside D’Rivera himself, Stagnaro, and other members of the Paquito D’Rivera Ensemble including pianist Alex Brown, percussionist Pernell Satuemino, trumpeter Diego Urcola, and drummer Mark Walker. See below for program information. The 23 young musicians selected for the workshop range in age from 18 to 35 and come from across the US, as well as Spain, Brazil, Panama, Peru, Trinidad, Taiwan, and Ecuador. They are currently studying in or have studied at some of the top music schools in the country including Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and the University of North Texas. Leading up to the workshop, young musicians worldwide will have the opportunity to submit questions for a workshop interview with Paquito D’Rivera through Carnegie Hall’s online community, Musical Exchange. Following the live workshop, young musicians will also have the opportunity to participate in a series of online discussions and activities related to the work of Paquito D’Rivera. The series culminates with a scheduled webcast of the May 16 concert, which is open to all members of the Musical Exchange community. About Workshops and Master Classes About the Workshop Leaders In 1988, he was a founding member of the United Nation Orchestra, a 15-piece ensemble organized by Dizzy Gillespie to showcase the fusion of Latin and Caribbean influences within jazz. D’Rivera continues to appear as guest conductor of that group. With a dedication and enthusiasm for jazz, bebop and Latin music, D’Rivera’s contributions to classical music are impressive. They include solo performances and commissions with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, among others. In his passion to bring Latin repertoire to greater prominence, D’Rivera has successfully created and championed all types of classical compositions, including his three chamber compositions recorded live in concert with distinguished cellist Yo-Yo Ma, which garnered him a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 2004. Among other honors, including the prestigious NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship in 2005, D’Rivera is the recipient of a 2007 John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition, and the 2007–2008 appointment as Composer-In-Residence at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Originally from Lima, Peru, bassist Oscar Stagnaro studied at the Conservatory of Music in Lima. He worked extensively doing studio work and live performances with many international artists and local bands before moving to the United States in 1979. He studied harmony and improvisation with pianist – educator Mike Marra and the great jazz sax player Jerry Bergonzi. Since then, Stagnaro has been an active performer and one of the most versatile bass players on the East Coast. His mastery of playing different music styles from jazz and fusion to Latin jazz, Brazilian jazz, and South American music has helped him travel the world performing with the very best Latin jazz artists. The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall Program Information Program to include: Workshops and master classes are made possible, in part, by Mr. and Mrs. Nicola Bulgari and The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. Recording of workshops and master classes is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Photo at top of press release by R. Andrew Lepley |