Outstanding pianists, piano teachers and keyboard artists from throughout the nation will join internationally acclaimed pianists Ann Schein and Dan Haerle for the West Virginia University Keyboard Festival and Competition, to be held at the Creative Arts Center, June 24-28.
Titled “The Intersection of Jazz and Classical Music” Piano Festival and Competition,” the event will explore the many ways jazz and classical music intersect and influence each other.
According to Christine Kefferstan, professor of piano at WVU and one of the organizers of the festival, the idea sprang from a desire to celebrate the piano and diminish the barriers between the classical and jazz piano worlds.
“Both of our guest artists are former university teachers who have a lot to share with this year’s participants,” she said. “Ann Schein is the premier Chopin artist and Dan Haerle is a pioneer in jazz education. Both bring decades of artistry and teaching to our festival.”
In addition to piano competitions for high school and college students, as well as some amazing concerts, the festival will feature various clinics, workshops, master classes and teacher panel discussions on a wide array of topics.
The schedule of workshops and classes includes the following presentations. For a description of each of these sessions, go to: http://music.wvu.edu/keyboardfestival/session-descriptions.
Monday, June 24
1 p.m. – Master Class with WVU Piano Professor Peter Amstutz.
2 p.m. – “The Incomparable Art Tatum” by Robert Bedford.
3 p.m. – “Balancing ‘Free-Play’ with Structure: Inroads into the World of Jazz Improvisation” by Bruce Dudley.
4 p.m. – “Harlem Stride” by Jacob Womack.
Tuesday, June 25
10 a.m. – “The Intersection of Jazz and Classical Music in Composition and Arranging” by Michael Conrad.
11 a.m. – Jazz Panel: WVU School of Music Director Keith Jackson, Neil Donato, Robert Auler, and Robert Bedford.
11 a.m. – Open House for the WVU Electronic Music Studio with Director David Taddie.
1 p.m. – “Jennifer Higdon Piano Trio: Pale Yellow; Fiery Red” by Christine Kefferstan and the Sarasvati Trio.
2 p.m. – Clinic with jazz pianist Dan Haerle.
Wednesday, June 26
10 a.m. – “Successive Approximation/Faking: You Can Do It” by WVU Professor of Organ William Haller.
11 a.m. – “2 Modern Composers from Turkey: Ulvi Cemal Erkin and Ahmet Adnan Saygun” by Ekin Corakli.
1 p.m. – “Improvisation in Classical Music” by WVU Piano Professor James Miltenberger and violist Lillian Green.
2 p.m. – “Fascinating Rhythm: The Crossroads of Jazz Elements and Classical Technique in the Works of Gershwin and Transcriptions by Earl Wild” by Scott Beard.
3 p.m. – Copland and Jazz” by Bradford Gowen.
4 p.m. – Classical Panel: Paul Stewart, Bradford Gowen, Christine Kefferstan and Jerry Wong.
Thursday, June 27
11 a.m. – “Transcription and Chord Charts: Jazz Tools for the Classical Performer” by Robert Auler.
1 p.m. – “Piano Ragtime: Historical Characteristics, Sources, and Influences on 20th Century Compositions,” by Paul Stewart.
2 p.m. – Master Class with Ann Schein.
4 p.m. – “The Hippest Etudes in Town: 26 Etudes for Solo Piano by Leslie Adams” by Tom Otten.
5 p.m. – “Bi-tonal, Quartal Harmony in a Classical Form” by Bruce Mahin and Joyce Wang.
Friday, June 28
9 a.m. – “Piano Music for the LH” by Jerry Wong.
10 a.m. – “Restoring 19th Century Preluding at the Piano” by Sam Gingher.
11 a.m. – Master Class with WVU Piano Professor Christine Kefferstan.
1 p.m. – Master Class with WVU Piano Professor James Miltenberger.
Two special public events will be held as part of the festival:
A jazz concert by Dan Haerle, to be held Monday, June 24, at 7 p.m., in Bloch Hall (200A), will include favorites such as “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” as well as some of his own compositions.
A classical concert by Chopin artist Ann Schein will be held on Wednesday, June 26, at 7 p.m. in Bloch Hall. It will include Chopin’s heroic and moving “Sonata in B minor.” A reception will follow, hosted by the WVU Community Music Program, which is also sponsoring Schein’s concert.
Ticket prices for both concerts are $10 for festival attendees and $15 for the general public. Tickets will be available at the door or at the registration table.
The Dan Haerle and Ann Schein concerts are free for children ages 8-18 when accompanied by a parent who purchases a ticket. In addition, there is a discount rate of $25 per day for parents with children ages 8-18 who would like to attend all the festival sessions, competitions and master classes.
There will also be free concerts by the jazz student winners on Tuesday, June 25, at 4 p.m. and by the classical winners on Friday, June 28, at 2 p.m.
In addition, a free WVU Showcase Jazz and Classical Concert will be held Tuesday, June 25, at 7 p.m. This concert will include a narrative by WVU piano professor Lucy Mauro explaining how the various works intersect with jazz and classical music. The four WVU piano faculty members—James Miltenberger, Christine Kefferstan, Lucy Mauro and Peter Amstutz—will team up for a fun arrangement of tunes from “Carmen.” Additional music will include a trio, a jazz ensemble and piano solos.
All concerts will be held in the Bloch Learning and Performance Hall (200A) of the Creative Arts Center.
For more information on the WVU Keyboard Festival and Competition, contact Christine Kefferstan at 304-293-4521, email Christine.Kefferstan@mail.wvu.edu, or see the Keyboard Festival and Competition website at: http://music.wvu.edu/keyboardfestival.
-WVU-
cl/06/17/13
CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu
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