January 29th SZALON:

This program will be dedicated to the beloved memory of longtime Salon Team Member and dear friend, Elliot Blake, who passed into the light on January 10th.

1. Classical guitarist Chinnawat Themkumkwun performs “Tango” by Emilio Pujol and “Rondeña” by Regino Sainz de la Maza from his home studio in Thailand

2. Jazz singer/songwriter Gina Roché performs original Brazilian-infused songs with drummer Adam Shumski, from the Salon

3. Suzanne Teng (flute/alto flute) and percussionist Gilbert Levy perform an improvisation à la TANK, a 7-story former water tank and another piece TBD, from their home studio in Santa Fe, NM

4. Emmalie Tello, clarinet, and Ben Fortunato, guitar, will perform a set of multi-genre original works, from the Salon in Philadelphia

5. Soprano Jessica Beebe with pianist Mark Livshits will perform a set of songs by Philadelphia composers Andrea Clearfield, John Conahan and Benjamin C.S. Boyle, from the Salon

6. Pianist Yoni Levyatov will perform three original works “Tango parlato”, “Consolation oublièe” and “Lindy hop”, from the Salon

7. Rich Rudin (piano/composer), Stan Slotter (trumpet/flute) and Bruce Kaminsky (bass) perform two of Rich’s original jazz compositions, from the Salon

8. Jean Lenke & Suzzette Ortiz will perform selected jazz ballads from a music collection composed by women celebrating the women of The Red Rose Project, from the Salon

9. Singer-Songwriter-Pianist Alexandra Day performs original songs from her records "Why Care" and "Untangle", and some new repertoire, from the Salon

10. Multi-instrumentalist Gregg Mervine performs original songs with Daniel Stern on trumpet and Elliot Beck on percussion

11. Michael Firman will perform a Shinkyoku piece for solo shakuhachi by Fukuda Rando (福田 蘭童) entitled Miyama Higurashi (深山蜩) from his home studio in Chicago

Chinnawat Themkunkwun

Chinnawat Themkunkwun is a classical guitarist from Thailand, recognized internationally for his passionate and inspired performances on stages throughout the world. A winner of over ninety international competitions, including top prizes at the Taiwan International Guitar Competition, and Hannabach International Guitar Competition in Augsburg, Germany, his most recent accomplishment is First Prize at the Boston International Guitar Competition in

Massachusetts, USA. Drawn to the instrument from a young age Chinnawat attended the guitar program at the College of Music, Mahidol University in his native Thailand. At the preparatory college level, Chinnawat was awarded the Excellent Student Award with the highest GPA in his class and attained a Bachelor's degree with First-class honors. In 2017 he was awarded the ASEA-Uninet scholarship (Ernst Mach grant) to complete his studies and graduated with a Master's degree and Postgraduate diploma from the prestigious Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria, under the supervision of Prof. Marco Tamayo and Prof. Eliot Fisk.

Noted especially for his unique and imaginative playing style Chinnawat thrives equally as a soloist and collaborative musician. He has appeared as soloist with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra playing concertos by Rodrigo and Ponce. Since then, Chinnawat has had a successful performing career with concerts in North America, Europe and Asia. He is also an in-demand instructor with his own studio that combines traditional teaching methods with online courses, preparing many raising guitar talents for auditions and competitions. Chinnawat Themkumkwun is the official Hannabach Artist since 2022.

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chinguitarist
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chinguitars
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chinguitar
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinguitar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themkumkwun
Hannabach Artist Page: http://www.hannabach.com/en/artists/chinnawat-themkumkwun

Videos:

Gina Roché and Adam Shumski

Gina Roché imbues a Brazilian twist into her unique blend of pop, jazz, blues and original compositions. Born in Philadelphia, The Gina Roché Group has toured in Grand Cayman, Aruba, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Philly, the West Coast, UK and Japan and has also performed on Good Morning America and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. An original member of the all- female Latin group “Ellas,” Gina sings in 4 languages; English, Portuguese, Spanish and French. Gina produced the “Women Singers and Songwriters Concert”, a tribute to the music of Frank Sinatra, and is producing a tribute to the Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim in “The music of Jobim” Gina is embarking on her third CD of original compositions, along with an upcoming project with a string quartet. She is currently music director for the UUCSJS congregation. For a taste of her sultry, silky voice check out her two recordings “Dawning of a New Way” and “Thankfully” both of which are available tonight and online. Philadelphia station 90.1 FM WRTI’s Jeff Duperon has this to say of Gina’s last release: “ ...the music and lyricism are outstanding. Congratulations on producing a unique and tasteful contribution to original music.” ~ Jeff Duperon

For up-to-date live performances, please visit:
www.ginaroche.com
www.facebook.com/GinaRocheMusic
https://www.instagram.com/gina_roche/
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/gina-roché/261801288 

Venmo: @Gina-RocheMusic

Adam Shumski is a drummer and educator based in Philadelphia PA. He has toured and/or recorded with BODEGA, Vita and the Woolf, Carsie Blanton, The Lunar Year, Hemming (Winner of VH1’s “Make or Break: The Linda Perry Project), Brittany Ann Tranbaugh (Winner of the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Contest), Audra McLaughlin (Finalist on Season 6 of NBC’s “The Voice”), and is Musical Director for WALLIS.  

Videos:

Suzanne Teng and Gilbert Levy

Suzanne Teng and Gilbert Levy are married musical partners who compose original global instrumental music that is influenced by Suzanne’s classical training and Gilbert’s background in jazz and R&B. They have released seven critically acclaimed albums that have garnered numerous prestigious international awards such as the Independent Music Awards (twice), International Acoustic Music Awards, Los Angeles Music Awards, New Mexico Music Awards, Akademia Music Awards, Global Music Awards, Peace Song Awards, Native American Style Flute Awards (album of the year) and the InterContinental Music Awards. Their recordings have been licensed for numerous soundtracks and was featured on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Suzanne has been described by the Los Angeles Times as a “brilliant flutist” who “plays music for the soul.”  Originally from Berkeley, California, she received her Master’s degree in music from Boston University’s School for the Arts and, after enjoying world travels, furthered her passion for world music, pursuing her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at UCLA. She plays an array of wind instruments from around the world and is an endorsed artist for YAMAHA representing their alto and bass flutes. She has performed on hundreds of albums, film/television/commercial soundtracks and performed on the Survivor Live finale shows that had 50 million viewers. Gilbert was born and raised in New Orleans where he began playing drums at an early age and by his late teens was performing professionally in R&B bands in clubs on Bourbon Street and with jazz greats such as Wynton and Branford Marsalis. He moved to Los Angeles in his late 20’s and played pop music in numerous bands and on several major label recording projects before gravitating towards world drums.

Website: suzanneteng.com    
Streaming links: https://suzanneteng.hearnow.com

Video of “Hanging Lake” from our new album, “SHIMMER.” 

Emmalie Tello and Ben Fortunato

Emmalie Tello is a New York-based clarinetist and teaching artist committed to storytelling and self-expression through music. An ardent fan of contemporary music, she has performed and recorded with ensembles including the International Contemporary Ensemble, Wet Ink Ensemble, Talea Ensemble, and ETHEL, among others. Emmalie is also co-founder/co-director of Art Beyond the Ink (ABI), an organization which supports young audiences and early-career artists through musical storytelling and interdisciplinary collaboration, along with Rebecca Schifilliti. The award-winning business is an active partner to the New York Public Library. Along with educational programs, Emmalie writes and produces short films for ABI and has had work screened at The Backyard at Hudson Yards, The DiMenna Center, and the Canberra Short Film Festival. Emmalie is co-author of “Hearing and Seeing Musical Stories,” a children’s workbook that teaches music through short stories, artistic prompts, and kinesthetic exercises. Emmalie holds degrees from The New School and Manhattan School of Music. 

Links:

www.emmalietello.com
www.instagram.com/emmalie_tello
www.artbeyondtheink.org

Ben Fortunato is a New York-based guitarist, composer, sound engineer, and educator who works in a wide range of musical environments and styles. A jazz musician at heart, Ben’s compositions hold complex harmony and groove oriented rhythms while pulling inspiration from classical and folk music. Ben has worked with major Broadway producers such as Leslie Steifelman, Andrew Lippa, and GRAMMY award-winning jazz producer Jeff Jones. Ben is frequently found performing in clubs all over Manhattan and Philadelphia playing and collaborating with established musicians such as Augie Bello, Nick Lomberdelli, AG Sully, Xavier Rice, Amanda Barise, Michael Manzi, and many more. Ben has had the privilege to share the stage with guitar giants such as Mike Stern and Julian Lage and worked closely with Peter Bernstein, Kris Davis, Reggie Workman, and Hal Galper during his time at the New School. When Ben isn’t performing, he works as the Manager of Admissions for The New School’s School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and has the pleasure of traveling around the world to recruit and review the next generation of great musicians. 

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/benmfortunato/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChTLT9BgIGy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKUGS9vgy8H/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link (Ben solo)

Jessica Beebe and Mark Livshits

Lauded as having a “honey-colored tone” and “the most radiant solo singing” from Opera News, soprano Jessica Beebe is an affecting interpreter of repertoire from the Renaissance to contemporary American opera. As a sought-after concert soloist, Ms. Beebe has performed as a soloist with several major orchestras and ensembles across the world including The New York Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, The English Concert at the Barbican Theatre, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, The Folger Consort, Utah Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Lancaster Symphony, The Washington Bach Consort, Piffaro, Gamut Bach Ensemble, Philadelphia Bach Collegium and more. Her solo operatic highlights include premiering multiple operas by Jennifer Higdon, Lembit Beecher and David Hertzberg with Opera Philadelphia, covering in Norway's Bergen National Opera, and a Los Angeles Philharmonic debut in Meredith Monk’s opera, Atlas.  Ms. Beebe is a member of Variant 6, The Crossing, Seraphic Fire, Clarion, Lorelei, Trio Eos, and is on several GRAMMY-nominated albums with The Crossing and Clarion Ensemble. Ms. Beebe is a voice faculty member at Franklin and Marshall College and Muhlenberg College and maintains a private voice studio from her home. She also has a 2-year old son named Henry with her husband, pianist Mark Livshits. Mark is a frequent guest with The Philadelphia Orchestra, performing with many of their members, and frequently performs internationally with Deutsche Grammophon artist Yay - Eun Choi. For exciting upcoming performances please visit  www.jessicabeebesoprano.com

You can support me by coming to see me in my performances, or by making a donation to help support a recording project I will be working on next summer. Venmo is @jessicabeebe and please email me via my website!

Video:

Yoni Levyatov

Yoni Levyatov, winner of the San Jose International Piano Competition, is recognized as a soloist with “an appealing electricity” (The New York Times). The Russian-born Israeli pianist and composer made his recital debut at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and his New York City concerto debut performing the Schumann Piano Concerto under the baton of Philippe Entremont. He has also been heard with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, the Bogota Philharmonic, Denver Brass, and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas. His compositional oeuvre includes works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and orchestra, and has been performed throughout Europe, the United States, and Israel. Beyond the classical realm, he has toured with the JP Joffre Hard Tango Band across the US and internationally. Highlights have included the Panama Canal, as well the Vermont Music Festival performing the Bacalov Triple Concerto for Piano, Bandoneon, Soprano, and Orchestra. Touring Alaska, he has been featured at the Sitka Music Festival and Juneau Jazz and Classics, presenting the first-ever concert in the Eskimo village of Chevak. Mr. Levyatov's teachers have included Alexander Volkov, Solomon Mikowsky, Jerome Rose, Constance Keene, and Harvey Wedeen. Mr. Levyatov was a recipient of the Dorothy McKenzie Artist Recognition Award, Harold Bauer Award, and was a Silver Medalist at the International Bösendorfer Piano Competition. He was awarded the Clairmont Prize in Tel Aviv and has been a scholar of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation since 1990. Recent appearances have included performances at Steinway Hall, Barge Music, United Nations and the Prestige Series at IKIF, Mannes School of Music, NYC; Music in the Mountains, Colorado; St.-Mary College of Maryland; Thornton School of Music at USC, San Francisco; Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles; Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix; Xavier University, Cincinnati; Menora Hall in Manchester, England; Philharmonic Hall in St.Petersburg, Russia; Spiegelsaal in Rheinsberg, Germany; Auditorium de Cajacanarias in Tenerife, Spain; Jerusalem Music Center and the Tel Aviv Museum of Arts.

Youtube channel:

YLlive - YouTube

Rich Rudin, Stan Slotter, and Bruce Kaminsky

Pianist Rich Rudin has composed hundreds of works and has performed regularly throughout the Delaware Valley, playing in a wide variety of styles including classical, jazz, pop, folk and rock.  Rich is also the founder and director of the Maplewood Music Studio in two locations: Germantown and Chestnut Hill, offering lessons on virtually all instruments and in all styles of music.

www.MaplewoodMusicStudio.com 
Maplewood Music on Facebook 

Stan Slotter has been active on the Philadelphia music scene for many years. Trained as a classical player both on trumpet and on flute, Stan decided early in his career that if he was going to be a professional freelancer and play music for a living, the best way to accomplish this was to try to achieve the greatest possible level of versatility. Throughout the years he has successfully performed many different styles of music on a professional level including Jazz, traditional and modern, Salsa and other Latin forms, Big Band music, Klezmer and Middle eastern styles just to name a few. The unusual flute/trumpet double has also contributed to Stan’s success as a freelancer. Stan has an energetic and heartfelt approach to the trumpet and flute that lends warmth and style to his music.

Bassist Bruce Kaminsky is a working musician, which is another name for a multi-tasking entrepreneur. Besides performing and recording he is on the music faculty of Drexel University and Montgomery County Community College and is the designer and manufacturer of KYDD Basses. www.kyddbass.com   

Jean Lenke and Suzzette Ortiz

Pacific Northwest Jazz~Folk vocal artist Jean Lenke started her music journey in the philadelphia area andhas been creating diverse music for several years now in the greater Seattle area. As performing artist, composer, lyricist, and bandleader she brings the joy of her parent’s Classic Jazz music together with the spirit of the Folk & Jazz-Rock Fusion soundtrack of her own youth in an eclectic mix ~ familiar, yet slightly off center. Jean paints music in full color, covering her canvas with broad strokes and a free hand, crossing boundaries and mixing genres, celebrating all the shades and hues life brings us. Jean’s vocals are transportive, melting hearts with her a crystal clear tone and sultry warmth.   

www.jeantherapymusic.com/gratuities

Suzzette Ortiz, a passionate pianist, composer,choral conductor and educator, has been serving her communities with the gift of music form her humble beginnings in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, to her many recent successes as a Pennsauken, New Jersey native. As a performer throughout the tri-state area, Suzzette has performed in such venues all over the Philadelphia area. As education, social activist, and powerful composer, Suzzette leaves her mark in every space she touched. Her music is truly, spiritually transformative, full with joy and passion!   

suzzetteortiz.com

Jean & Suzzette have been good friends many years and take great pleasure in sharing their special connection to you this evening through music.

Alexandra Day

Alexandra Day studied classical piano at Messiah College, and classical voice at Temple University.  She has had a diverse and vibrant performance career: She has sung with many jazz combos, done hundreds of gigs as a wedding singer, and in 2021, was cast as an onstage musician in a BalletX show.  As a pianist-singer-songwriter, she has released 3 albums, and has toured from Boston to New Orleans, as well as in the Caribbean.  Her latest release is the EP “Why Care”, which came out in May of 2020.  An engaging and often-humorous performer, her best joke is to tell the truth.  Her music is available on all streaming platforms.

Ways to support and stay connected:

Buy music and merch: Alexandraday.bandcamp.com

Donations: Venmo @AlexandraDay-MusicDispatch

Instagram: @AlexandraDayMusic

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandra.day.9887/

Videos:

Gregg Mervine with Daniel Stern and Elliot Beck

Gregg Mervine is a composer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist from the Philadelphia region. He has worked with groups ranging from Ari Up (of the Slits) to the Trisha Brown Dance Company, and is best known in Philly as the originator of West Philadelphia Orchestra. His songs present characters at moments of awakening, doubt, desperation and enlightenment, floating between possibilities and grasping for meaning. With music orchestrated for pianos, guitars, bass, drums and the occasional horns and strings, his sound recalls the post-rock of Tortoise and Sufjan Stevens.

Venmo: @Gregg-Mervine 

https://gmervine.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/gnos-gmervine

Michael Firman

Michael 優禅 Firman has been studying the shakuhachi since 1993. He started his studies with Michael Furuta, a student of Tadashi Tajima. After meeting Dai Shihan (Grand Master) Michael Gould at the World Shakuhachi festival in Boulder Colorado in 1998, he began studies with him. His interests in the flute vary greatly, although his focus is on traditional Japanese music. He plays and performs Minyo (Japanese folk music), Sankyoku (older Japanese chamber music), Shinkyoku (modern Japanese chamber music), and Honkyoku (the solo shakuhachi music of the Buddhist tradition). In 2011 He attained the rank of Jun Shihan (traditional teaching degree). In 2015 he attained the rank of Shihan (traditional masters degree). These ranks were awarded to him by Michael Chikuzen Gould.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/mafirman/
https://www.facebook.com/YuzenShakuhachiDojo/

Videos:

An informal performance of a piece on a historic instrument: 

A piece from the Buddhist repertoire:

I performed the music for this short animation of a Japanese folk song/poem: