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ANNI CROFUT, DANCER Anni began ballet and modern dance as a child and studied under Lester Horton and Judith Jameson at Jacob’s Pillow as a teen. As an adult she explored Salsa, African dance, Capoeira and Tango abroad. After returning to the U.S. in 2006, Anni has performed with the Berkshire Pulse and at the Mahaiwe Theatre where she introduced her own choreography in ‘The Soldier’s Tale.’ In 2010, Anni created a piece for four women titled ‘Rain,’ focusing on the remembrance of sensuality in young mothers, which was performed at the Sandisfield Arts Center in Sandisfield, MA. This dance sparked a desire to create a full suite of dances about the different stages of a woman’s life. This year, she choreographed a piece called ‘The Queen Years,’ which explores the period in a woman’s life from her 50’s through her 60’s. ‘The Queen Years’ was performed at the International Women’s Day conference at Simon’s Rock of Bard College, and also at the Sandisfield Arts Center.

ABOUT THE 2024-2025 SEASON Dear friends, Parlance Chamber Concerts’s 17th season will begin joyfully on September 29 with a “Cellobration” spotlighting four of today’s leading cellists. Carter Brey, principal of the New York Philharmonic; Rafael Figueroa , principal of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Zvi Plesser , professor at The Juilliard School; and the versatile soloist and chamber musician Edward Arron will join forces in a rich selection of cello solos and ensembles. On October 20 , the elite Paris-based string quartet, The Modigliani , will make it’s Parlance debut. Their far-ranging program will include Joaquín’s Turina’s lushly impressionistic Bullfighter’s Prayer, Brahms’s tenderhearted Quartet in B-flat, Op. 67 , and Beethoven’s sublime Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2. On November 17 , the poetic English pianist Paul Lewis will return to PCC's stage. Universally acclaimed for his sovereign Schubert interpretations, Lewis will perform Schubert’s profound final trilogy of sonatas . A special mid-season “series with the series” will showcase the scintillating virtuosity of three of today’s most exciting performers: “The Virtuoso Flutist” On December 15 , the phenomenal Crimean flutist Denis Bouriakov will perform a recital of concertos for flute and orchestra by Mozart, Bach, François Devienne and Saint-Saëns . Denis will be supported by an ensemble of musicians from the New York Philharmonic. Michael Parloff will conduct. “The Virtuoso Organist” On January 19, organist Paul Jacobs will again grace our stage in a afternoon of towering masterpieces for the King of Instruments by Bach Mendelssohn, Franck, Ives and Liszt . Don’t miss the musician that the Washington Post called “one of the great living virtuosos. ” “The Virtuoso Cellist” On February 9, the renowned British cellist Steven Isserlis will make his long-awaited Parlance debut. Celebrated worldwide for his deeply communicative artistry, Isserlis radiates joy and virtuosity with every note he plays. His internationally diverse program will include works by Beethoven, Martinu, Boulanger , and Edvard Grieg’s soaring sonata for cello and piano. On March 9, celebrate Maurice Ravel’s 150th Birthday with the beguiling Russian-American soprano Erika Baikoff and the stellar Korean pianist Soohong Park . Their recital will feature a selection of Ravel’s most alluring song cycles and ravishing piano solos, including Shéhérazade and Gaspard de la nuit . On April 13, the lustrous Quartetto di Cremona will make their eagerly anticipated return to PCC. The award-winning Italian ensemble will perform pinnacles of the quartet repertoire, including Debussy’s luminous String Quartet and Beethoven’s spiritually transcendent Quartet in A minor, Op. 132 . On May 18 , you won’t want to miss our star-studded seasonal finale, Late Night with Leonard Bernstein . This multimedia cabaret will be hosted by the Maestro’s daughter, Jamie Bernstein , in collaboration with acclaimed soprano Amy Burton and pianists John Musto and Michael Boriskin . They will provide an affectionately intimate portrait of the multifaceted titan of 20th-century American music. I look forward to seeing you again soon at Parlance Chamber Concerts! Michael Parloff 2024-2025 SEASON September 29, 2024 Cellobration! October 20, 2024 Modigliani Quartet November 17, 2024 Paul Lewis Plays Schubert December 15, 2024 The Virtuoso Flutist Denis Bouriakov January 19, 2025 The Virtuoso Organist Paul Jacobs February 9, 2025 The Virtuoso Cellist Steven Isserlis March 9, 2025 Ravel’s 150th Birthday Concert April 13, 2025 Quartetto Di Cremona May 18, 2025 Late Night With Leonard Bernstein Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2021 AT 3 PM PAUL JACOBS, ORGAN WELCOME BACH, PAUL JACOBS! BUY TICKETS PAUL JACOBS, ORGAN FEATURING ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS It will be an honor to welcome back America’s foremost organist, Paul Jacobs. The inimitable virtuoso will introduce and perform a selection of towering masterpieces by Johann Sebastian Bach , composed and arranged especially for the King of Instruments. PROGRAM J.S. Bach Sinfonia from Cantata, BWV 29 (arr. Marcel Dupre) Program Notes J.S. Bach Trio Sonata in E Minor, BWV 528 Program Notes J.S. Bach Air on the G String , Suite No. 3, BWV 1068 Program Notes J.S. Bach Concerto in D Minor after Vivaldi, BWV 596 Program Notes J.S. Bach Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582 Program Notes J.S. Bach Arioso from Cantata, BWV 156 Program Notes J.S. Bach Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 532 Program Notes Watch Paul Jacobs perform and introduce Bach’s organ music at NPR: Watch Paul Jacobs discuss and play Bach’s organ music at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in New York City:

HESPÈRION XXI, EARLY MUSIC ENSEMBLE Ancient music’s most important value stems from its ability as a universal artistic language to transmit feelings, emotions and ancestral ideas that even today can enthrall the contemporary listener. With a repertoire that encompasses the period between the 10th and 18th centuries, Hespèrion XXI searches continuously for new points of union between the East and West, with a clear desire for integration and for the recovery of international musical heritage, especially that of the Mediterranean basin and with links to the New World. In 1974 Jordi Savall and Montserrat Figueras, together with Lorenzo Alpert and Hopkinson Smith, founded the ancient music ensemble Hespèrion XX in Basel as a way of recovering and disseminating the rich and fascinating musical repertoire prior to the 19th century on the basis of historical criteria and the use of original instruments. The name Hespèrion means “an inhabitant of Hesperia”, which in ancient Greek referred to the two most westerly peninsulas in Europe: the Iberian and the Italian. It was also the name given to the planet Venus as it appeared in the west. At the turn of the 21st century Hespèrion XX became known as Hespèrion XXI. Today Hespèrion XXI is central to the understanding of the music of the period between the Middle Ages and the Baroque. Their labours to recover works, scores, instruments and unpublished documents have a double and incalculable value. On one hand, their rigorous research provides new information and understanding about the historical knowledge of the period, and on the other hand, the exquisite performances enable people to freely enjoy the aesthetic and spiritual delicacy of the works of this period. Right from the beginning Hespèrion XXI set out on a clearly innovative and artistic course that would lead to the establishment of a school in the field of ancient music because they conceived, and continue to conceive, ancient music as an experimental musical tool and with it they seek the maximum beauty and expressiveness in their performances. Any musician in the field of ancient music will have a commitment to the original spirit of each work and has to learn to connect with it by studying the composer, the instruments of the period, the work itself and the circumstances surrounding it. But as a craftsman in the art of music, he is also obliged to make decisions about the piece being played: a musician’s capacity to connect the past with the present and to connect culture with its dissemination depend on his skill, creativity and capacity to transmit emotions. Hespèrion XXI’s repertoire includes, amongst others, the music of the Sephardi Jews, Castilian romances, pieces from the Spanish Golden Age, and Europa de les Nacions. Some of their most celebrated concert programmes are Les Cantigues de Santa Maria d’Alfons X El Savi, La Diàspora Sefardí, the music of Jerusalem, Istanbul, Armenia and the Folías Criollas. Thanks to the outstanding work of numerous musicians and collaborators who have worked with the ensemble over all these years Hespèrion XXI still plays a key role in the recovery and reappraisal of the musical heritage, and one that has great resonance throughout the world. The group has published more than 60 CDs and performs concerts for the whole world, appearing regularly at the great international festivals of ancient music.

PHILIP SETZER, VIOLIN Violinist Philip Setzer, a founding member of the Emerson String Quartet, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and began studying violin at the age of five with his parents, both former violinists in the Cleveland Orchestra. He continued his studies with Josef Gingold and Rafael Druian, and later at the Juilliard School with Oscar Shumsky. In 1967, Mr. Setzer won second prize at the Marjorie Merriweather Post Competition in Washington, DC, and in 1976 received a Bronze Medal at the Queen Elisabeth International Competition in Brussels. He has appeared with the National Symphony, Aspen Chamber Symphony (David Robertson, conductor), Memphis Symphony (Michael Stern), New Mexico and Puerto Rico Symphonies (Guillermo Figueroa), Omaha and Anchorage Symphonies (David Loebel) and on several occasions with the Cleveland Orchestra (Louis Lane). He has also participated in the Marlboro Music Festival. Mr. Setzer has been a regular faculty member of the Isaac Stern Chamber Music Workshops at Carnegie Hall and the Jerusalem Music Center. His article about those workshops appeared in The New York Times on the occasion of Isaac Stern’s 80th birthday celebration. He also teaches as Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at SUNY Stony Brook and has given master classes at schools around the world, including The Curtis Institute, London’s Royal Academy of Music, The San Francisco Conservatory, UCLA, The Cleveland Institute of Music and The Mannes School. The Noise of Time, a groundbreaking theater collaboration between the Emerson Quartet and Simon McBurney–about the life of Shostakovich–was based on an original idea of Mr. Setzer’s. In April of 1989, Mr. Setzer premiered Paul Epstein’s Matinee Concerto. This piece, dedicated to and written for Mr. Setzer, has since been performed by him in Hartford, New York, Cleveland, Boston and Aspen. Recently, Mr. Setzer has also been touring and recording the piano trios of Schubert and Mendelssohn with David Finckel and Wu Han.

< Back Dmitri Shostakovich Concertino in A minor, Op. 94 for two pianos Program Notes Previous Next

MATTHEW LIPMAN, VIOLA As one of the world’s leading young violists, 26-year-old American Matthew Lipman has been hailed by the New York Times for his “rich tone and elegant phrasing” and by the Chicago Tribune for his “splendid technique and musical sensitivity.” The recipient of a prestigious 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant, he has appeared as soloist with the Minnesota, Illinois Philharmonic, Grand Rapids Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber, Juilliard, Ars Viva Symphony, and Montgomery Symphony orchestras, with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in Alice Tully Hall, and in recital at the WQXR Greene Space in New York City and the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. His debut solo album “Ascent” that includes a world premiere by Brazilian composer Clarice Assad and Waxman’s Carmen Fantasy played for the first time on viola is being released by Cedille Records, coinciding with a Lincoln Center recital debut in Fall 2018. The Telegraph praised Mr. Lipman as “gifted with poise and a warmth of timbre” on his Avie recording of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with violinist Rachel Barton Pine and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with the preeminent Mozart scholar Sir Neville Marriner, which topped the Billboard charts. He was the only violist featured on WFMT Chicago’s list of “30 Under 30” of the world’s top classical musicians and has been profiled by The Strad and BBC Music magazines. Mr. Lipman performs internationally as a chamber musician with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and regularly at the prominent Music@Menlo, Marlboro, Ravinia, Bridgehampton, Seattle, Cleveland, and Valery Gergiev’s White Nights festivals. A top prizewinner of the Primrose, Tertis, Washington, Johansen, and Stulberg International Viola Competitions, he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees as an inaugural Kovner fellow from The Juilliard School as a student of Heidi Castleman, and was further mentored by Tabea Zimmermann at the Kronberg Academy. A native of Chicago, Mr. Lipman is on faculty at Stony Brook University and performs on a fine 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola loaned through the generous efforts of the RBP Foundation.

SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2016 AT 3 PM Sir James Galway and Friends BUY TICKETS TIMOTHY COBB, BASS Principal Bass New York Philharmonic SIR JAMES GALWAY, FLUTE “He has a technical mastery so complete that it makes everything look easy… No one in their right mind, or ear, could object to such committed, insightful and lovable performances.” – The Los Angeles Times PAOLO BORDIGNON, HARPSICHORD “Bordignon’s stylings were right on the mark as he amply showed us his fluid technique and mastery of the instrument.” — Salt Lake Tribune MARK HOLLOWAY, VIOLA “Warm and intimacy.” — Neue Zürcher Zeitung DANBI UM, VIOLIN “Danbi Um’s playing is utterly dazzling…a marvelous show of superb technique” — The Strad NICHOLAS CANELLAKIS, CELLO “Superb young soloist.” — The New Yorker BENJAMIN BEILMAN, VIOLIN 2015 “He brought dark chocolate sound and lyricism to his rhapsodic playing and compellingly dispatched the breathless, perpetual-motion finale.” — The New York Times LADY JEANNE GALWAY, FLUTE SEAN LEE, VIOLIN “Breathtakingly beautiful.” — The New York Times YING FANG, SOPRANO “A warm, agile, and appealing voice…a star in the making.” – Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times FEATURING ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS he living legend of the flute, Sir James Galway is regarded as both the supreme interpreter of the classical flute repertoire and a consummate entertainer whose appeal crosses all musical boundaries. Through his extensive touring, over 30 million albums sold, and his frequent international television appearances, Sir James has endeared himself to millions worldwide and is a tireless promoter of the arts. Sir James will share his great love of Bach in a special collaboration with nine brilliant young soloists. This concert promises to be unforgettable afternoon of music-making. PROGRAM Johann Sebastian Bach Sonata in E, BWV 1035 for flute and continuo Program Notes Johann Sebastian Bach Jesus soll mein erstes Wort from Cantata 171 for soprano, violin and continuo Program Notes Johann Sebastian Bach Sheep Safely Graze, from Cantata 208 for soprano, two flutes, and continuo Program Notes Johann Sebastian Bach Suite in B minor, BWV 1067 for flute, strings, and continuo Program Notes Johann Sebastian Bach I follow you with Joyful Steps from St. John Passion for soprano, two flutes, and continuo Program Notes Johann Sebastian Bach Adagio and Presto from Sonata in G minor, BWV 1001 for solo violin Program Notes Johann Sebastian Bach Air on the G String (from Suite in D, BWV 1068) for flute, strings, and continuo Program Notes Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, BWV 1049 for two flutes, solo violin, strings, and continuo Program Notes James Galway - Bach Sonata in E, BMV 1034, Mvt 1 James Galway - Reicha Sinfonia in D for 4 Flutes, Mvt 1 (PCC) James Galway - Bach Badinerie from Suite in B minor

2024-2025 SEASON Dear Friends, Parlance Chamber Concerts’s 17th season will begin joyfully on September 29 with a “Cellobration” spotlighting four of today’s leading cellists. Carter Brey, principal of the New York Philharmonic; Rafael Figueroa, principal of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Zvi Plesser, professor at The Juilliard School; and the versatile soloist and chamber musician Edward Arron will join forces in a rich selection of cello solos and ensembles. On October 20 , the elite French string quartet, The Modigliani , will make it’s Parlance debut. Their far-ranging program will include Joaquín’s Turina’s lushly impressionistic Bullfighter’s Prayer , Brahms’s tenderhearted Quartet in B-flat, Op. 67 , and Beethoven’s sublime Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2. On November 17, the poetic English pianist Paul Lewis will return to PCC's stage. Universally acclaimed for his sovereign Schubert interpretations, Lewis will perform Schubert’s profound final trilogy of sonatas. A special mid-season “series with the series” will showcase the scintillating virtuosity of three of today’s most exciting performers: “The Virtuoso Flutist” On December 15, the phenomenal Crimean flutist Denis Bouriakov will perform a recital of concertos for flute and orchestra by Mozart, Bach, CPE Bach and Saint-Saëns . Denis will be supported by an ensemble of musicians from the New York Philharmonic. Michael Parloff will conduct. “The Virtuoso Organist” On January 19, organist Paul Jacobs will again grace our stage in a afternoon of towering masterpieces for the King of Instruments by Bach and Liszt. Don’t miss the musician that the Washington Post called “one of the greatest living virtuosos.” “The Virtuoso Cellist” On February 9, the renowned British cellist Steven Isserlis will make his long-awaited Parlance debut. Celebrated worldwide for his deeply communicative artistry, Isserlis radiates joy and virtuosity with every note he plays. His internationally diverse program will include works by Beethoven , Martinu , Boulanger , and Edvard Grieg’s soaring sonata for cello and piano. On March 9, celebrate Maurice Ravel’s 150th Birthday with the beguiling Russian-American soprano Erika Baikoff and the stellar Korean pianist Soohong Park. Their recital will feature a selection of Ravel’s most alluring song cycles and ravishing piano solos, including Shéhérazade and Gaspard de la nuit . On April 13 , the lustrous Quartetto di Cremona will make their eagerly anticipated return to PCC. The award-winning Italian ensemble will perform pinnacles of the quartet repertoire, including Debussy’s luminous String Quartet and Beethoven’s spiritually transcendent Quartet in A minor, Op. 132. On May 18, you won’t want to miss our star-studded seasonal finale, Late Night with Leonard Bernstein. This special multimedia cabaret will be hosted by the Maestro’s daughter, Jamie Bernstein, in collaboration with acclaimed soprano Amy Burton and pianists John Musto and Michael Boriskin. They will provide an affectionately intimate portrait of the multifaceted titan of 20th-century American music. I look forward to seeing you again soon at Parlance Chamber Concerts! Michael Parloff 2024-2025 SEASON September 29, 2024 Cellobration! October 20, 2024 Modigliani Quartet November 17, 2024 Paul Lewis Plays Schubert December 15, 2024 The Virtuoso Flutist January 19, 2025 The Virtuoso Organist February 9, 2025 The Virtuoso Cellist March 9, 2025 Ravel’s 150th Birthday Concert April 13, 2025 Quartetto Di Cremona May 18, 2025 Late Night With Leonard Bernstein Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts

ABOUT THE 2013-2014 SEASON 2013-2014 SEASON Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts

September 29, 2024: Edward Arron, Carter Brey, Rafael Figueroa, and Zvi Plesser, cellos Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Allegro molto from Cello Concerto in C major: Hob. VIIb/1 September 29, 2024: Edward Arron, Carter Brey, Rafael Figueroa, and Zvi Plesser, cellos The discovery of Haydn’s C major Cello Concerto in 1961 among piles of manuscripts in the National Museum in Prague counts as one of the great musical finds of our time. With the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia and Hungary after World War II, vast holdings from private libraries were carted away and deposited in the Museum, making them accessible to scholars—if they could wade through the enormous amount of uncatalogued material. The Cello Concerto was unearthed by O. Pulkert, one of the Museum’s librarians, as a set of manuscript parts once held by the counts of Kolovrat-Krakovský. Its authenticity was immediately confirmed by Haydn scholars, principally because of the entry in Haydn’s own Entwurf-Katalog, which included starting themes of his works. The first modern performance took place on May 19, 1962, by cellist Miloš Sádlo, with Charles Mackerras conducting the Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Haydn probably wrote the Concerto for Joseph Weigl, star cellist of the Esterházy orchestra from 1761 to 1769 and close friend of Haydn. Though the Concerto cannot be dated precisely, scholars have suggested c. 1761–65, based on its position in the catalog and the manuscript’s paper type. The Concerto’s opportunities for virtuosic display—like those of the solo cello parts in the three symphonies, “Le matin,” “Le midi,” and “Le soir”—speak well for Weigl’s skills as a cellist. Today’s version of the sparkling finale for four cellos, arranged by Douglas Moore, admirably allows the solo cello part to shine against the three-cello accompaniment, which itself emphasizes the instrument’s ability in range and varied character to mimic the entire orchestral accompaniment. A substantial opening tutti (section for the full ensemble) introduces the finale’s main theme, supported by repeated eighth notes, whose frequent recurrence provides much of the movement’s driving energy. The soloist’s entrance on a long held note eventually erupts into a rising scale. The movement contains no cadenza as had the first two movements, but the virtuosic writing in the solo episodes provides ample opportunity for display. —©Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

STEFON HARRIS, VIBRAPHONE Vibraphonist-composer Stefon Harris is heralded as “one of the most important young artists in jazz” (The Los Angeles Times). He is unquestionably developing what will be a long and extraordinary career. Stefon Harris’ passionate artistry, energetic stage presence, and astonishing virtuosity have propelled him into the forefront of the current jazz scene. Widely recognized and lauded by both his peers and jazz critics alike, the award-winning musician is committed to both exploring the rich potential of jazz education and blazing new trails on the vibraphone. A graduate of Manhattan School of Music, Stefon received a B.M. in Classical Music and an M.M. in Jazz Performance. He is a recipient of the prestigious Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and has earned four Grammy nominations including Best Contemporary Jazz Album for Urbanus (Concord Music, 2010), Best Jazz Album for The Grand Unification Theory (2003) and the 2001 release of Kindred (Blue Note) and his 1999 release of Black Action Figure (Blue Note) for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. NPR honored his latest CD, Ninety Miles (Concord) as one of the Best Releases of 2011. Harris was named winner of the 61st Annual Downbeat Critics Poll for Vibes (2013). He has been voted Best Mallet player by Jazz Times Critics Poll, the Expanded Jazz Times Critics Poll, and by the Jazz Journalist Association (2000–2004, 2011–2013), Debut Artist of the Year by Jazz Times, Chicago Tribune’s Debut of the Year and Downbeat’s Critics Poll Winner for Vibraphone (2013) and Rising Star, Vibraphone (2006, 2004, 2003) Newsweek’s Best Jazz CD, Best New Talent, and 1999–2000 Readers Poll Best Vibraphonist by JAZZIZ Magazine. North Sea Jazz (Netherlands) named Harris for the prestigious International 2002 Bird Award for Artist Deserving Wider Recognition. Mr. Harris has performed at many of the world’s most distinguished concert halls, including the Carnegie Hall debut of African Tarantella: Dances with Duke (2006 Blue Note), Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, The Kennedy Center, San Francisco’s Herbst Theater, UCLA’s Royce Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center, Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, and The Sydney Opera House. In June 2007, his quartet performed a retrospective of his original compositions with the Jazz Sinfonica Orquestra in Sao Paulo, Brasil. He has toured and recorded with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and performed his original compositions with the Dutch Metropole Orchestra in Den Hague. He has toured South Africa, Brazil, and Europe performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival, and the Umbria Jazz Festival, among others. In 2001 he premiered The Grand Unification Theory, a full-length concert piece commissioned by The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, which was later presented at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. He has also appeared at the legendary Playboy Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Orange County Performing Arts Center. In March 2005 Mr. Harris debuted Suite Moments, a special commission from The Wharton Center for Performing Arts, Michigan State University. In May 2006 he premiered Portraits of The Promised, commissioned by Fontana Chamber Arts for People’s Church Sesquincentennial Celebration in Kalamazoo, MI. In 2009, Stefon was the subject of three documentaries by WGVU-TV, which earned three Michigan Emmy nominations and three Gold Camera Awards (U.S. International Film & Video Festival). He joined the San Francisco Jazz Collective in 2007 and toured through 2013 in addition to leading his band, Blackout, and other special projects. Harris was commissioned by the chamber group Imani Winds, supported by a grant from Music Accord, and wrote the piece Anatomy of a Box: A Sonic Painting in wood, metal, and wind. Pairing the jazz concept of improvisation within a classical framework, the 2009 performance debut through Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City received grand reviews. “It’s a good thing when you leave a performance wanting to hear it all over again. Friday night, many likely left the Imani Winds’ concert with Stefon Harris needing to hear it again” (Corridor Buzz). An active educator, Mr. Harris teaches throughout the United States and internationally through Distance Learning programs. He is Director of Curriculum Development at the Brubeck Institute (CA), Artist in Residence at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Brubeck Summer Jazz Colony, and Visiting Professor at Rutgers University (NJ). For the past decade he has been on the faculty at New York University and was Artist in Residence at Fontana Chamber Arts (Kalamazoo, MI), University of Nebraska, Lincoln, San Francisco Performances, The Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and The Thelonious S. Monk Institute for Jazz Studies. He created a unique interactive program with poets from around the world at the University of Iowa’s famed International Writer’s Workshop. He returned there in September 2004 to participate in “The Life of Discovery” as part of a statewide celebration of arts and humanities. Harris currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors for Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and is a former member of the Board of Directors for Chamber Music America and WBGO-FM (Newark, NJ). His 2011 TED talk on “There are no mistakes on the bandstand” was the most watched video in its release. In June 2011, Harris along with David Sanchez and Christian Scott released the critically acclaimed CD Ninety Miles (Concord Records). Recorded entirely in Havana, Cuba, with the highly noted Cuban pianists Rember Duharte and Harold López-Nussa, the project reveals the fascinating reaction that takes place when musicians from different cultures come together and converse in a common language that transcends mere words. A documentary, Ninety Miles Live at Cubadisco, chronicles the adventure. The same year, Stefon was a featured artist on the Grammy-nominated Have You Ever Been? (Telarc) by the Turtle Island String Quartet. Urbanus (Concord Records), nominated for a 2010 Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz CD, solidified the role of Stefon Harris & Blackout as one of the leaders of jazz urban music. Named the “Year’s Best New Jazz” by NPR, the follow-up to the band’s acclaimed Top Ten recording, Evolution, was hailed as “A spectacular piece of work sparkling with optimism, ingenuity, and emotional immediacy” (Amazon.com) and termed “brilliant’ by People Magazine. Urbanus sparked a media discussion on the cultural relevance of jazz while “delivering a different kind of unification: intellectually deep and emotionally resonant” (All About Jazz). Stefon’s 2006 recording, African Tarantella: Dances with Duke (Blue Note) paired a modern arrangement of Duke Ellington’s “New Orleans Suite” and “Queen Suite” along with selections from Harris’ “The Gardner Meditations.” The latter suite was part of a commission by The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University. The 2003 release of The Grand Unification Theory, an eleven-movement suite featuring Latin, classical, African, and jazz influences earned a Grammy nomination, JAZZIZ Critics Choice, and 4-star reviews from Downbeat Magazine, Rolling Stone, and The Los Angeles Times. His 2001 CD Kindred earned him his second Grammy nod for Best Jazz Album. A quartet recording with the noted pianist Jacky Terrasson Kindred is a follow-up to his sophomore release Black Action Figure (Blue Note Records), also nominated for a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. His premiere as a leader, A Cloud of Red Dust, was voted Best Debut Recording at the 1999 New York Jazz Awards. In addition to leading his own band, Mr. Harris has recorded as part of The Classical Jazz Quartet, a series of jazz-interpreted classics with Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, and Lewis Nash. He has also recorded and toured with many of music’s greatest artists, including Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Bobby Hutcherson, Cassandra Wilson, Dr. Billy Taylor, Kenny Barron, Max Roach, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Benny Golson, Bobby Watson, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling, Buster Williams, Dianne Reeves, Charlie Hunter, Yakub Addy Odadaa, Common, and Pablo Zeigler. He has performed with Albany Symphony, Berkshire Symphony, Lancaster Festival Orchestra, and Chamber Society of Lincoln Center.