May 19th SZALON!

1.    Pianists Young-Ah Tak and Carl Cranmer perform Dvořák Slavonic Dances for four hands, Op.46 (No. 1, No. 3)

2.    Qin Qian, erhu, performs with harpist Mia Venezia “Moonlight Night” by Liu Tianhua and a piece by Antonin Dvořák

3.    Violist/Composer Martha Mooke premieres a new composition Essence of Szalon

4.    Pianist Carolyn Enger performs music by William Grant Still, Iman Habibi and Meredith Monk

5.    Andrea Carlson and the Love Police: Andrea Carlson (vocal/guitar), Stan Slotter (trumpet/flute), Dave Posmontier (piano), Kevin MacConnell (bass), David Yager (percussion) perform two original songs

6.    Sheila Browne, violist, performs Viola Concerto, Mvmt 3 by William Walton with Paul Fejko, pianist

7.    Kirk O’Riordan (saxophone) and Holly Roadfeldt (piano) perform David Maslanka’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano, Mvmt 1

8.    Rich Rudin (piano/composer) performs two of his original compositions with Stan Slotter (trumpet) and Bruce Kaminsky (bass)

9.    Vocalist David Underwood reflects on his gender journey in “Transitional Lenses” featuring a hymn by Charles Tindley and a show tune

10. Exyl will present their film Acid Green, a multi-medium experimental animation piece

Young-Ah Tak and Carl Cranmer

Praised for her “winning combination of passion, imagination, and integrity” (New York Concert Review), pianist Young-Ah Tak enjoys a remarkable career that has taken her throughout the United States, Canada, Austria, Germany, Italy, Korea and Japan. Ms. Tak made her New York debut at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall with the Juilliard Orchestra.  Subsequently, she has since appeared with numerous orchestras including the Roanoke, Lansing, North Arkansas, Orchestra of Northern New York, Imperial, Venice, Filharmonia Pomorska (Poland), and with major orchestras in her native Korea including the Korean Symphony Orchestra.  Other notable performances have been presented at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Jordan Hall in Boston, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Ravinia Festival. Ms. Tak has received her degrees from The Juilliard School (BM), the New England Conservatory (MM), and The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University (DMA) where she studied with Leon Fleisher. Ms. Tak currently serves as an Associate Professor of Piano at the Crane School of Music in SUNY Potsdam.  Her recordings are available from Albany Records, MSR Classics, and Steinway & Sons label. Ms. Tak is a Steinway Artist.  

Links:

Website:  www.youngahtak.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ie2509/videos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youngahtak.pianist
Steinway CD: https://www.steinway.com/music-and-artists/label/beethoven-piano-sonatas--young-ah-tak
https://youtu.be/lcrw7URSRF8?si=vUKUVm7UwPkYJ1ul. (Judith Zaimont's WIZARDS)

Carl Cranmer made his debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of nine. Since then, in addition to solo recitals in Europe, Asia, and North America, he has performed in concert with the Royal Philharmonic of England, the Gulbenkian Orquesta of Portugal, the Juilliard Orchestra and several other orchestras on the Eastern Seaboard. Dr. Cranmer has been the recipient of many competition prizes and awards. He was the Grand Prize winner of the 1994 Missouri Southern Piano Competition. In 1995, he received the Spanish Music Prize, and the Finalist Prize in the Santander Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition in Santander, Spain. He also won Fourth Prize in the 1999 World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, was a finalist in the 1996 Washington International Competition in Washington, D.C., and a semifinalist in the Montreal International Piano Competition in Washington, DC, the Marguerite Long International Piano Competition in Paris, France, the Naumburg International Piano Competition in New York City, and the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in Japan. In 2000, he was selected to be on Philadelphia's Astral Artistic Services outreach roster of performers. Dr. Cranmer frequently performs as a soloist and chamber musician, and gives numerous master classes in the Philadelphia area. He is Associate Professor of Piano at West Chester University.

Videos:

Qin Qian and Mia Venezia

Qin Qian is a professional erhu player and teacher in Philadelphia. When she was 20, she received B.A. in the performance of erhu from Guangxi Arts College, China. Then she authored two Chinese books, “My Dreams Fly With Music,” and “A Musical Journey in America.” She produced and was also the featured performer and composer on a Chinese musical CD, “A Romantic Musical Journey.” This is the first music record published by a radio host in China, showing Qin Qian’s multi-talented life. Qin Qian made many new attempts to spread traditional Chinese music after living in the United States. She has partnered with many Western musicians from the US, UK and Australia. Her concerts have mixed the erhu and other Chinese instruments with different musical styles, including classical, jazz, opera, and pop.

https://qinqianerhu.com

Philadelphia-based harpist Mia Venezia performs and teaches throughout the country, including performance settings such as the Nashville Opera, New World Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra where she holds the principal chair. A frequent collaborator in chamber music, Mia was featured as a soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh and a two time winner of the Pittsburgh Chamber Society Chamber Division. She currently tours with flutist Aimee Toner as a Lyric Music Society Artist. Mia recently graduated from the Yale School of Music as a Irving Gilmore fellow, where she studied with harpist and pedagogue June Han. Previously she has received degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Northwestern University, graduating both institutes with distinguished honors. A passionate educator, Mia holds a private studio in which she hopes to inspire and foster the next generation of harpists.

https://pittsburghconcertsociety.org/artist/mia-venezia/

Liu Tianhua (1895-1932) who is known as the "father of the Chinese Erhu" one of the most well-known composers of the early generation, performer and music educator. He contributed greatly to reform and modernize traditional Chinese music and folk music. The pieces on this LP are all standards and are often the repertoire played for grading and competitions of students and young musicians. Even though he was only 37 when he died of scarlet fever 1932 June 8, he has greatly influenced the Chinese attitude towards folk music and elevated both the music and the position of the instrument. He improved both the pipa and the erhu before his solo pieces became more associated with beggars and he was the first to introduce erhu as a solo instrument in higher musical education.

Video:

Martha Mooke

Martha Mooke is a Grammy Award winning, pioneering electric violist/composer, highly regarded for her artistry, music advocacy, and innovative educational programs. A self-described “Creative Instigator” transcending stylistic boundaries, she empowers others to discover their inner creative voice. Mooke is Founder and Artistic Director of the Grammy winning Scorchio Quartet (featured on David Bowie’s Heathen CD and Carla Patullo’s Grammy winning album, So She Howls) which performs as resident quartet in the Tibet House Benefit Concerts at Carnegie Hall produced by Philip Glass.  She has toured with Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Peter Gabriel and Star Wars in Concert, performed and recorded with David Bowie, Philip Glass, Elton John, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Tony Bennett among others. She has been a featured speaker at PopTech, SXSW EDU, NAMM/CMS and numerous podcasts. Mooke received the prestigious ASCAP Concert Music Award for creating and producing ASCAP's new music showcase THRU THE WALLS featuring boundary defying composer/performers. A Yamaha Artist and Eventide’s first Artist in Residence, Mooke created and directs the cutting edge, Multi-Style Strings program at New Jersey City University.

https://www.marthamooke.com/

Videos:

Carolyn Enger

Internationally celebrated American pianist Carolyn Enger has gained critical acclaim for her lyrical and dynamic playing, as well as her deeply felt interpretations. Ms. Enger’s touring opportunites have included venues throughout the United States and beyond, including the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, United States Military Academy West Point, the Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, The National Gallery of Art in D.C., and most recently the National Gallery in Oslo. n addition to an active performance schedule on two continents, Ms. Enger has enjoyed remarkable success as a recording artist. Recently her article, The Mischlinge Exposé: Stories of Assimilation and Conversion, was published in the book Women Defying Hitler: Rescue and Resistance under the Nazis, by Bloomsbury Academic. This past winter Carolyn showcased her immersive film/sound project Resonating Earth, in a residency with Musica Sierra and the public school children in the Sierra Valley, California. Ms. Enger studied at the Manhattan School of Music and is a Steinway Artist. 

http://carolynenger.com and @carolynenger on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

Videos:

Andrea Carlson, Dave Posmontier, Stan Slotter, Kevin MacConnell, and David Yager

Andrea Carlson hails from Tennessee, California, Texas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. While a student in Chicago, she began her career in small groups, and then with a big band. She earned her degree in Classical Guitar at the American Conservatory of Music, and is now on the faculty of Philadelphia’s prestigious Settlement Music School. Following her first award-winning composition, "Cryin’ ", Andrea released a completely original CD, "Drivin’ Myself Wild For You", including another prize winning song "Mysterious Moon". Her next CD "Love Can Be So Nice", showcases classics and originals in both English and French, including "Let Me Cook for You" - published in the first-ever Philadelphia Real Book of Jazz, now in its second printing by regional non-profit, Jazz Bridge. This year marks Andrea's ninth appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival - and her fourth tour of "the continent"!

Stream and purchase my songs and albums! - https://andreacarlson.bandcamp.com/  [Seven studio albums to enjoy!]
Attend a live show and say Hello! - https://andreacarlsonmusic.com/home      [Check calendar page for more shows]
There's nothing wrong with tipping! - https://andreacarlsonmusic.com/support    [Thank you so very much!]

Dave Posmontier has been playing keyboard since the age of seven and has played professionally since the age of 12. He majored in mathematics at Temple University but played with the Temple Jazz Band and knew he would be a full-time musician after graduation.  Dave has performed and recorded with many jazz artists including Christian McBride, James Moody, Chris Potter, Duane Eubanks, Mickey  Roker, Bobbie Durham, John Blake, John Swana, Mike Richmond, Bootsie Barnes, Tony Williams (sax), Bob Howell, Chico Huff, Larry McKenna, Steve Giordano, Grover Washington Jr., David "Fathead" Newman, and  Johnny Hartman.  The renowned Settlement Music School honored Dave among 100 alumni who have made a difference in the world of music.  Dave can be heard on several CD’s of Philadelphia area jazz artists and in 2010,  released a CD, "Posterity" featuring his original compositions and arrangements.  He has recently released a live acoustic trio CD, "Deep Pockets".

Stan Slotter is a professional trumpet player and flutist doubling on Flugelhorn and alto flute. He is active playing jazz (swing, straight ahead, Big Band, Latin, fusion, Avant Garde and Funk), Salsa, Klezmer and Middle eastern music. Stan studied at Temple University and Penn State University, with extensive field experience at the University of Living the Music Life!  Stan has studied with, and learned from some very high grade players.  He studied trumpet with: Sigmund Hering 1962-1966; Mike Natate, Carmine Caruso 1974-1982; Bob McCoy, Laurie Frink, and others. He studied flute with: John Krell, Carol Light, Adeline Tomasone, and others.

Kevin MacConnell’s impressive career as a bassist has taken him from playing with orchestras on concert stages to Broadway shows, from numerous recording studios to the sets of television shows, from jazz festivals to great clubs. He has performed with such jazz legends as Mel Torme, Nancy Wilson, Billy Eckstine, Joe Williams and Ernie Watts, and national and international television appearances/performances with Diahann Carroll, Marilyn McCoo, Merv Griffin, Natalie Cole and opera diva, Denyce Graves. Highly respected on the jazz scene, Kevin has performed with John Blake and Jimmy Bruno and toured the country with a Philadelphia based classical/blue grass ensemble “The DePue Brothers Band”, featuring two members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and blue grass legends, Mark Cosgrove and Tony Trischka. Further recording credits include Profile, Larry McKenna; Earth Tones’, Power of Ten; ‘Unencumbered’, Mark Cosgrove; and Charles Gilbert’s prerecorded productions, “Harold and the Purple Crayon” and “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble”.

David Yager, "DBop" started banging pots and pans before he could talk, and he hasn't stopped... that was in New York (the Bronx, thanks) -- actual percussion studies began with Ruth Mohring, after the family moved to New Jersey several years later. Percussion studies continued during college in Philadelphia, with Armand Santarelli.  Most of David’s early professional work was "soft" rock, but from parade marches to orchestral tympani, with some latin, rock'n'roll, country western and a wee bit of tabla too, he has tried it all.  And still he keeps coming back to jazz: swing, jive, and of course pre-bop, be-bop, and post-bop!  So, joining up with Andrea Carlson in early 2013 was a dream come true, an opportunity to play swing-centric music with many influences, in many settings, including shows in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and thirteen other states - and Scotland, England, France, and Ireland.

Videos:

Sheila Browne and Paul Fejko

Sheila Browne is a violist from Gladwyne, PA, who also has Irish citizenship. She has concertized and given masterclasses on six continents. Her latest CD, Leaps and Bounds, with pianist Julie Nishimura is to be released in May. Sheila was the inaugural faculty violist for the Tianjin Juilliard School, and now teaches as Distinguished Artist -in -Residence at Lynn Conservatory and at Temple University. She is the Director of the popular Karen Tuttle Viola Workshop and will teach this summer at Chautauqua, Montecito, Techne, and Green Mountain music festivals.  

www.violasheilabrowne.com

Composer/Conductor/Keyboardist Paul Fejko lives locally at his performance space in Chester, PA known as The André Café Acoustique where monthly concerts of many varying sorts have now resumed with LIVE audiences.  He is music director of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church in Philadelphia, a musician with the Muhlenberg College Theatre and Dance departments, and founder of the Chester Performing Arts Project. His specialty is provoking and challenging audiences with an unpredictable, eclectic and capricious approach to both classical repertoire, composition and improvisation. 

Information can be found at fejko.com and andre-cafe.com where also donation (enormously appreciated!!) links can be found. He just uploaded all of his legacy CD recordings (1989 - 2004) to paulfejko.bandcamp.com as downloadable tracks and albums.

Additional links: 
soundcloud.com/paulfejko
youtube.com/paulfejko 
youtube.com/andrecafeacoustique
Click Here to Donate via PayPal - NO need to be a member! Or..... Venmo: @paul-fejko

Videos:

Kirk O’Riordan and Holly Roadfeldt

Kirk O’Riordan (saxophonist, composer) and Holly Roadfeldt (pianist) have been performing together for nearly 30 years. They teach at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.: Kirk teaches composition, theory, saxophone, and conducts the Concert Band; and Holly is Director of Keyboard Studies and teaches courses in Keyboard Literature and directs the Contemporary Music Ensemble. They have released three critically acclaimed recordings on Ravello Records: Autumn Winds (2020), The Preludes Project (2017), and Strange Flowers (2014). Kirk studied saxophone at Northwestern University, Bowling Green State University, and Indiana University; Holly studied piano at the University of Colorado, Indiana University, and the Eastman School of Music.
www.hollyroadfeldt.com

www.kirkoriordan.com

Video:

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   

David Underwood

David Underwood is a Vocalist and self taught pianist from Philadelphia. Hailing from a family of gifted vocalists and instrumentalists, David’s passion for music began at an early age. Since graduating from the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and studying Jazz Voice Performance at Temple University, David has performed at a number of venues, including The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Academy of Music and The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, World Café Live, Plays and Players Theatre, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and New York City’s Lincoln Center. 

http://davidltopel.com/the-joy-of-producing-great-talent-meet-david-underwood/
Donations are welcome via PayPal @DJAZZUnderwood

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Exyl

Exyl is an artist and educator living and working in Providence, RI. They care about work that is direct, honest, precise and joyful. They make work that is cheap and they believe in the inherent magic of a time-based medium. Their films have shown at internationally renowned festivals like Slamdance, Encounters, Ann Arbor and more. They are a current resident at the Dirt Palace, an underground feminist institution located in an abandoned library in Olneyville. They program and direct the Cut and Paste Animation screening series in Providence. 

Links:

Website: https://exyl.space 
Instagram: @exu.de 
@cut_and_paste_providence

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