Hancock Institute of Jazz

Jahari Stampley of Chicago, Illinois Wins First Place in 2023 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition

Posted on October 16, 2023October 23, 2023 by Kamil Walji

Special Tributes to Honorees Dianne Reeves & Frank Gehry with Herbie Hancock, Joe Lovano, Somi, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ambrose Akinmusire, Terri Lyne Carrington, Lizz Wright, Many More

New York, NY – The 2023 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition and All-Star Gala Concert came to an exciting conclusion following the announcement of Jahari Stampley, age 24, of Chicago, Illinois as first place winner of the Competition.

Presented by the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, the world’s preeminent jazz education organization, in association with the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC), the Competition awarded major scholarships and prizes including a $50,000 first place award. World-renowned pianists Bill Charlap, Orrin Evans, Herbie Hancock, Hiromi and Danilo Pérez served as the Competition judges.

The October 15th event at PAC NYC on the historic World Trade Center campus featured a star-studded Gala Concert. The Institute presented its Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to five-time GRAMMY-winning jazz vocalist and educator Dianne Reeves, who has played a vital role in the Institute’s mission for nearly three decades. Visionary architect Frank Gehry was honored with the Institute’s Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award for his commitment to arts education, notably jazz and classical music training for young people. The evening featured stellar performances by a diverse group of all-stars including Musical Director John Beasley, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lizz Wright, Anat Cohen, Romero Lubambo, Jean Baylor, Joe Lovano, Hélène Mercier, Somi, Ambrose Akinmusire and Ben Williams.

First place winner Jahari Stampley captivated the audience with his performances of “Prelude Entrance” and “After The Morning.” Second place winner Connor Rohrer, Age 23, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania performed “Someplace Called Where” and “Matrix,” and third place winner Paul Cornish, Age 26, of Houston, Texas performed “Intrepid Fox” and “Come Sunday.” They were among the 11 outstanding, young pianists from around the world who competed a day earlier in the Competition Semifinals at PAC NYC. Bassist Richie Goods and drummer Carl Allen accompanied each competitor.

The Gala opened with multi-GRAMMY and Tony Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater performing Chick Corea’s “Spain” with an all-star ensemble. Later in the evening, the Institute shined a spotlight on some of the top young jazz musicians across the country. The Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer High School All-Star Jazz Sextet performed Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” alongside vocalist and former Institute Competition winner Lisa Henry. Among the nation’s most accomplished young jazz musicians, these students train with Institute teaching artists at public performing arts high schools nationwide. U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona, who hosts an Institute Peer-to-Peer performance at the Department of Education each year, made remarks about the importance of music education in the schools.

The evening also showcased the Herbie Hancock Institute Ensemble performing Herbie Hancock’s “Actual Proof.” These gifted musicians from around the world receive full scholarships to attend the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance, the Institute’s prestigious master’s degree program at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in Los Angeles. The students, who represent the next generation of jazz artists, study for two years with world-renowned jazz musicians, composers and educators.

Multi-GRAMMY Award-winning bassist, singer and composer Esperanza Spalding honored Frank Gehry with the Institute’s Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award. She highlighted his renowned architectural achievements and his devotion to helping others – from volunteering in public schools and supporting the Turnaround Arts initiative for at-risk youth to serving on the Institute’s Board of Trustees and taking an active role in its jazz education programs. Piano virtuoso Hélène Mercier of Paris and piano prodigy A Bu of Beijing performed a stunning rendition of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” fusing jazz and classical influences. Herbie Hancock, Ambrose Akinmusire, Joe Lovano, Ben Williams and Terri Lyne Carrington then performed “Speak No Evil” by the late Wayne Shorter, Gehry’s close friend and creative collaborator.

To honor Dianne Reeves, acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo shared the story of how Reeves found her passion early on through music, as a member of her high school big band. She went on to tour with Sergio Mendes and Harry Belafonte, release a series of chart-topping albums, earn five GRAMMY Awards and make a profound impact on jazz and her millions of fans. The evening’s special guests, including vocalists Somi, Jean Baylor, Michael Mayo and Lizz Wright, paid tribute to Reeves by performing three of her songs: the powerful, percussive “Endangered Species,” the gorgeous ballad “Bridges,” and the gospel-tinged “Today Will Be a Good Day.” After accepting the Maria Fisher Founder’s Award from Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock, Reeves graced the stage with a riveting performance of “You Taught My Heart to Sing.”

Proceeds from the All-Star Gala Concert will support the Institute’s public school education programs in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC and many other cities across the nation. All of the Institute’s education programs are provided free of charge, with an emphasis on serving economically disadvantaged public school students and their teachers and parents.

Air transportation was provided by United Airlines, Official Airline of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.

Helen Sung, Rogelio Beccato, Carl Allen, Anat Cohen, Richie Goods & Dee Dee Bridgewater, “Spain”, HHIJ International Jazz Piano Competition 2023 at The PAC NYC, Sunday, October 15, 2023

Semifinalists Announced for 2023 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition, October 14-15 in New York City

Posted on October 3, 2023October 5, 2023 by Kamil Walji

Competition Festivities at Perelman Performing Arts Center Include All-Star Gala Concert Honoring Renowned Jazz Vocalist Dianne Reeves and Visionary Architect Frank Gehry

Washington, D.C. — Eleven outstanding young jazz pianists from around the world will compete in the 2023 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition October 14-15 presented in association with the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) on the historic World Trade Center campus.

The semifinalists are: Alan Bartuš of Lučenec, Slovakia; Joe Block of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Caelan Cardello of Teaneck, New Jersey; Esteban Castro of Hackensack, New Jersey; Paul Cornish of Houston, Texas; Brandon Goldberg of Miami, Florida; Connor Rohrer of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Dabin Ryu of Seoul, South Korea; Jahari Stampley of Chicago, Illinois; Jordan Isaiah Williams of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Jenny Xu of Surrey and Vancouver, British Columbia.

These aspiring musicians will compete in the Semifinals on Saturday, October 14 from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at PAC NYC. The semifinalists will perform before an all-star judging panel of internationally acclaimed jazz pianists including Bill Charlap, Orrin Evans, Herbie Hancock, Hiromi and Danilo Pérez. Each semifinalist will perform for 15 minutes accompanied by a stellar rhythm section featuring bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Carl Allen.

From this group, the judges will select three finalists to perform in the Competition Finals on Sunday evening, October 15. At stake is more than $150,000 in scholarships and prizes, including a $50,000 first place award, $25,000 second place award, and $10,000 third place award. The evening will culminate with an All-Star Gala Concert featuring performances by artists including Ambrose Akinmusire, Jean Baylor, John Beasley (Musical Director), Dee Dee Bridgewater, A Bu, Terri Lyne Carrington, Anat Cohen, Joe Lovano, Romero Lubambo, Michael Mayo, Somi, Helen Sung, Ben Williams, and Lizz Wright among others. The Institute will present its Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to five-time GRAMMY Award-winning jazz vocalist and educator Dianne Reeves. Internationally celebrated architect Frank Gehry will receive the Institute’s Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award for his commitment to arts education, especially jazz and classical music training for young people.

Proceeds from the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition and All-Star Gala Concert will support the Institute’s free, year-round jazz education programs, which serve students from under-resourced public schools across the United States and around the world.

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition Semifinals
Saturday, October 14, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
PAC NYC, 251 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10007

Seats for the Semifinals are free of charge but limited, as space allows. Walk-up guests are welcome to check-in at the Audience Services desk for admission.

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition Finals and All-Star Gala Concert
Sunday, October 15 at 6 p.m.
PAC NYC, 251 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10007

The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition is presented in association with PAC NYC. Tickets are $59 to $149 and may be purchased via the PAC NYC website at w ww.pacnyc.org.

2023 Competition Semifinalist Bios

Alan Bartuš was born in Lučenec, Slovakia and studied jazz piano at Musik und Kunst University in Vienna, Austria. He went on to win an instrumental performance award at the Slovak Jazz Competition and has since performed with his trio at Bratislava Jazz Days Festival, Top Jazz Fest, Jazz Fest Trencin and Liptov Jazz Fest. Bartuš won the prestigious Austrian Ö1 Jazz Prize and attended the Manhattan School of Music. He has toured and recorded with saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, and collaborated with Tim Armacost and Peter Erskine. Most recently, Bartuš won the 2023 Artedea Jazz Competition in Austria.

Joe Block is a pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator and musical director who was born and raised in Philadelphia. He studied at the Juilliard School and Columbia University. Block has performed and toured with Wynton Marsalis, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Potter, Alvin Ailey Dance Company and Leslie Odom, Jr. He arranges and composes for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis Septet, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia. Block is the musical director and pianist for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Future of Jazz Orchestra. He regularly performs with his own trio and quintet.

Caelan Cardello of Teaneck, New Jersey has been playing piano since age 5 and began performing professionally at age 16. As a Jazz House Kids student for seven years, he learned from the greatest jazz mentors and performed at Dizzy’s Club and the Montclair Jazz Festival. Cardello has performed with Christian McBride, Joe Farnsworth, Jimmy Cobb, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Rufus Reid. He was one of five finalists selected for the 2023 American Pianists Awards jazz competition. Cardello received his bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from William Paterson University and is now earning his master’s degree at the Juilliard School.

Esteban Castro of Hackensack, New Jersey was the youngest winner of the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition and the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. A senior on full scholarship at the Juilliard School, he has received three ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards and was a 2023 American Pianists Awards finalist. Castro has played with Billy Drummond, Billy Hart, Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, Mark Whitfield and many other jazz greats. He has performed at the Blue Note, NPR Tiny Desk, Birdland, Dizzy’s Club, The Jazz Gallery, NJPAC, Smalls, The Black Cat, Carnegie Hall and Steinway Hall.

Paul Cornish hails from Houston, where he studied at the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He was one of seven students worldwide selected to attend the jazz performance master’s degree program at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz at UCLA. Cornish received the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s 2020 New Note Commission and was awarded first place in the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. He also received the grand prize in the 2018 American Jazz Piano Competition. Cornish has performed worldwide with notable artists including Joshua Redman, Louis Cole, Theo Croker, Snoh Aalegra, Terrace Martin, Thumpasaurus and HAIM.

Brandon Goldberg of Miami began playing piano at age 3. At a young age, he was featured on national television in Little Big Shots, The Steve Harvey Show and Harry, hosted by Harry Connick, Jr. Goldberg has performed at the Newport, Litchfield, SFJAZZ, Twin Cities and Caramoor jazz festivals and appeared at Dizzy’s Club, Birdland, the Blue Note and the Apollo Theater. A 2022 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer awardee, he was commissioned to write two compositions performed by the Miami Symphony Orchestra. Goldberg has released two albums, both earning four-star reviews from DownBeat and being named Top Albums of the year.

Connor Rohrer of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania has been a member of the DownBeat Award-winning Teen Town jazz fusion trio since 2015. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, where he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in music theory and composition. He also serves as the teaching assistant for the university’s jazz piano department. Rohrer frequently performs with two-time GRAMMY winner Samara Joy. In addition to his performance abilities, he has developed his skills in composition, transcription/notation, analysis and pedagogy.

Dabin Ryu is an award-winning jazz pianist from Seoul, South Korea. Ryu received a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance and jazz composition from the Berklee College of Music and a master’s degree in jazz studies from the Manhattan School of Music. She now attends the Juilliard School’s Artist Diploma program. Ryu has performed with world-renowned artists including Kurt Elling, Billy Harper, Rodney Jones, Ralph Peterson and Neal Smith, and appeared at top venues including Blues Alley, Dizzy’s Club, Harlem Stage, Scullers, Smalls and Zinc Bar. An accomplished bandleader and composer, she has led international tours.

Jahari Stampley of Chicago is a National YoungArts Competition winner who has toured with Stanley Clarke and is featured on Derrick Hodge’s Color of Noise album. He has performed at leading venues including Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, SFJAZZ and The Met Philadelphia, and headlined and performed solo piano tours in Germany and Switzerland. Stampley is the bandleader and pianist for the feature film Spinning Gold. He won the Bösendorfer prize at the 2019 American Pianists Awards jazz competition. Stampley created all of the animation, art and music for his first music app, Piano Chronicles.

Jordan Isaiah Williams is an internationally recognized pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who has toured the U.S. and internationally with Bobby Watson, Curtis Lundy, Camille Thurman, the Darrell Green Quartet and Isaiah Collier. He performs regularly with Philip Harper, Winard Harper, Duane Eubanks, Ruben Fox, Taru Alexander, Corey Wallace and many others. Originally from Philadelphia, Williams began his classical and jazz piano instruction at age 7 at the Settlement Music School and the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts. Recently, he performed at the 2023 Newport Jazz Festival as part of The Bobby Watson All-Star Quintet.

Jenny Xu is a pianist from Surrey and Vancouver, British Columbia who received her bachelor’s degree in music performance from the Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship. She earned her master’s degree in jazz piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music, where she held the piano chair in the Latin GRAMMY-nominated Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra and worked closely with Paquito D’Rivera and Irakere. Xu has performed at more than a dozen festivals and shared the stage with artists including Candido Camero, George Garzone, Eddie Gomez, Ingrid Jensen, Dave Liebman, Harold Mabern Arturo O’Farrill, New York Voices, Kendrick Scott and Buster Williams.

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Competition

Formerly the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Competition, the Hancock Institute Competition is recognized as the world’s most prestigious jazz competition and for discovering the next generation of jazz masters, including saxophonist Joshua Redman; vocalists Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jane Monheit, Gretchen Parlato and Jazzmeia Horn; pianist Kris Bowers; bassist Ben Williams; and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, among others. Major scholarships and prizes are awarded to the talented young musicians participating in the Competition. The scholarships help pay tuition for college-level jazz education studies and provide funds for private, specialized instruction. hancockinstitute.org/competition/

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a nonprofit education organization offering the world’s most promising young musicians college level training by internationally acclaimed jazz masters and presenting public school music education programs for young people around the world. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge. hancockinstitute.org

Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) is the cultural cornerstone and final public element of the World Trade Center site. Led by Board Chair Mike Bloomberg, Executive Director Khady Kamara, and Artistic Director Bill Rauch, the new performing arts center in Lower Manhattan is a dynamic home for the arts, serving audiences and creators through flexible venues enabling the facility to embrace wide-ranging artistic programs. The PAC NYC Inaugural Season will feature commissions, World Premieres, co-productions, and collaborative work across theater, dance, music, opera, film, and more. pacnyc.org

Renowned Trumpeter/Composer Ambrose Akinmusire Named Artistic Director of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA

Posted on July 7, 2023July 8, 2024 by Kamil Walji

Institute and UCLA Welcome Incoming Class of 2025

Los Angeles, CA – Internationally acclaimed trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire has been named Artistic Director of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA. A 2007 graduate of the program, he will return to guide and encourage the next generation of jazz artists.

Six extraordinary young jazz musicians from around the world were selected for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA, Class of 2025. Each will begin the intensive, full-scholarship program in September 2023 and attain a Master of Music in Jazz Performance degree from The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music – one of the nation’s top music schools – in spring 2025.

The Class of 2025 includes drummer Ebs Daramola of Assen, Netherlands and Lagos, Nigeria; bassist Destiny Diggs of Newark, NJ; alto saxophonist Alden Hellmuth of Hartford, CT; pianist Miles Lennox of Fort Lauderdale, FL; tenor saxophonist Sasha Ripley of Houston, TX; and Yakiv Tsvietinskyi of Dnipro, Ukraine. The musicians were selected through a rigorous application process culminating in an audition judged by legendary pianist Herbie Hancock; renowned musician, producer and philanthropist Herb Alpert; Ambrose Akinmusire and Walter Smith III, Institute of Jazz Performance classmates and renowned touring and recording artists.

Akinmusire noted, “Having been a student and later a judge, mentor and teacher in this program, I look forward to sharing my knowledge and continuing the legacy and impact of the Herbie Hancock Institute.”

Herbie Hancock added, “Ambrose is the perfect person to inspire the students of the Institute of Jazz Performance. I remember working with him when he was a student in the program, and watching him develop over the years has been really exciting. Now he will be able to cultivate a new wave of creative artists through his role in the program.”

In addition to being an Institute of Jazz Performance alumnus, Akinmusire won first place honors in the Institute’s 2007 International Trumpet Competition. A two-time GRAMMY nominee, he received a Doris Duke Impact Award and was named a Doris Duke Artist. In his role as Artistic Director, he will follow in the footsteps of previous Artistic Directors trumpeter Terence Blanchard and bassist Ron Carter, two celebrated musicians who taught Akinmusire during his time in the program.

Launched in 1995, the Institute of Jazz Performance accepts one ensemble of musicians for each class and provides them with unparalleled opportunities to study jazz and its defining element of improvisation with master musicians, composers and educators. All students receive full scholarships, along with stipends to cover their monthly living expenses. This enables them to be fully immersed in their education and development as artists.

Throughout each academic year, world-renowned jazz masters serve as Artists-in-Residence, teaching and performing with the students. Artists-in-Residence have included Kenny Barron, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack DeJohnette, Nnenna Freelon, Roy Haynes, Jimmy Heath, Dave Holland, Wynton Marsalis, Jason Moran, Lewis Nash, Danilo Pérez, Dianne Reeves, John Scofield, Wayne Shorter, and Clark Terry, among many others. In addition, the students receive composition instruction from multi-GRAMMY Award winner Billy Childs and study improvisation with Jerry Bergonzi and Dick Oatts, two of the world’s top jazz improvisation experts.

The aspiring musicians study both individually and as a small group, receiving personal mentoring, ensemble coaching, and lectures on the jazz tradition. They are also encouraged to experiment in expanding jazz in new directions through their compositions and performances. A music business and technology component helps prepare the students for their careers as professional musicians.

Under the mentorship of their acclaimed instructors, the college students, collectively known as the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA, present high-profile concerts and lead jazz education and community outreach programs in Los Angeles, across the United States and around the world. In recent years, students have performed at International Jazz Day events in Istanbul, Turkey; Osaka, Japan; Paris, France; Havana, Cuba; St. Petersburg, Russia; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; and the White House. They also have participated in performance and education tours of Argentina, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Jordan, Morocco, Peru, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam with Herbie Hancock.

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance alumni – including Ambrose Akinmusire, Lionel Loueke, Gretchen Parlato, Walter Smith III, Dayna Stephens and Helen Sung, along with many others – have gone on to major careers as performing and recording artists, composers and educators.

Institute President Tom Carter said, “The Institute is pleased to welcome Ambrose Akinmusire in this new role. As a leader of his generation, he will be one of the artists that will be innovating this music for years to come. Under his direction, the incoming class of students will join our growing family of influential artists who are creative forces in the world of music, education and beyond.”

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music Inaugural Dean Eileen Strempel shared, “The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA attracts the best rising jazz talent to study with some of the world’s finest jazz artists. With Ambrose Akinmusire as Artistic Director of the program, the students at the Institute and UCLA will have access to an important voice in jazz. We are delighted to welcome him into our family, to continue our twelve-year partnership with the Institute and to welcome our sixth class of phenomenal artists.”

Ambrose Akinmusire

Internationally renowned recording artist and composer Ambrose Akinmusire is one of the top trumpeters and composers in jazz today and a true leader in creative music. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, the Institute of Jazz Performance and winner of the Institute’s International Trumpet Competition, he has proven himself one of the most vital and deft musicians of his generation. In recent years, Akinmusire has won DownBeat and Jazz Times Critics and Readers Polls and received Germany’s ECHO Award as Instrumentalist of the Year. His debut release, When the Heart Emerges Glistening, topped critics’ lists at The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, and earned him the Grand Prix from France’s l’Academie du Jazz. A former Blue Note recording artist, Akinmusire has performed at Carnegie Hall and other major venues, and at international jazz festivals including Barcelona, Copenhagen, Monterey, North Sea and Umbria. He is a Doris Duke Impact Awardee and a Doris Duke Artist and has served as Resident Artistic Director for SFJazz. Akinmusire has released six albums of his own and has appeared on dozens of others, earning him two GRAMMY nominations. Besides being a cutting-edge performer and prolific composer, Akinmusire is a dedicated educator who has presented jazz master classes around the globe. His latest recording is a solo trumpet album entitled Beauty is Enough.

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA – Class of 2025

Ebs Daramola, drums, was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Nigeria and Perth, Western Australia. He was introduced to a wide variety of music and began studying jazz in high school. Daramola was named Outstanding Performer at the Western Australian Schools Jazz Festival in 2014 and 2017. He attended the James Morrison Academy at the University of South Australia, where he studied with James Morrison, Mat Jodrell, Jeff Clayton and Carl Mackey. Daramola has performed across Australia with James Muller, James Morrison, Angela Davis, William Barton and as the leader of his own groups.

Destiny Diggs, bass, was born in Newark, New Jersey and began studying music at age 10. She participated in the Jazz House Kids program and played in the New Jersey Youth Symphony and the Youth Orchestra of Essex. She was the winner of the National YoungArts Merit Double Bass Award. Diggs was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Manhattan School of Music. She has studied with Ron Carter, Buster Williams and James Genus, among others. Diggs has performed with Winard Harper, Jon Faddis and Willerm Delisfort. In 2023, she was named a Sister in Jazz by the Jazz Education Network.

Alden Hellmuth, alto saxophone, was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. She studied saxophone with Kris Davis at the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts and was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute, where she studied with Abraham Burton. Hellmuth was selected to participate in Focusyear in Basel, Switzerland, where she studied with Miguel Zenón, Larry Grenadier and Lionel Loueke. She was a semifinalist for the New Music USA Next Jazz Legacy program and received the Dorothy Goodwin Scholarship for her work honoring women. Hellmuth has toured with Jeremy Pelt and Louis Hayes, and arranged music for Moses Sumney and Brandee Younger.

Miles Lennox, piano, was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He attended the Dillard Center for Arts, where he studied with Stephen Scott. Lennox has participated in the GRAMMY Camp, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Summer Jazz Camp, the Florida All-State Jazz Band and the YoungArts program. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Lennox has studied with Stefon Harris, Marc Cary, Phil Markowitz and Jimmy Petullo, and has performed with jazz greats including Wynton Marsalis, Sean Jones, Jon Faddis and Bobby Watson.

Sasha Ripley, tenor saxophone, was born and raised in Houston and began studying saxophone at age 13. He attended the Kinder High School for Visual and Performing Arts, where he graduated with a Distinguished Level of Achievement diploma. Ripley attended the Skidmore Jazz Camp and participated in the Herbie Hancock Institute’s Peer-to-Peer tours, performing with Sean Jones and Antonio Hart. He was awarded a full-tuition scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music, where he participated in the Global Jazz Institute and studied with Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Tia Fuller, Kurt Elling and Gary Bartz. Ripley has performed extensively across the country with a variety of artists.

Yakiv Tsvietinskyi, trumpet, was born and raised in Dnipro, Ukraine and began his music studies on piano at age 6. He received his undergraduate degree from the M. Glinka Academy of Music. While in college, he participated in the Making Music Across Borders program. Tsvietinskyi received a Fulbright grant for education, which enabled him to attend Western Michigan University and attain a master’s degree. He also participated in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center, where he had the opportunity to study with Jason Moran. A recipient of two DownBeat Student Music Awards, Tsvietinskyi was accepted into the Focusyear program in Basel, Switzerland. He has taught music in Dnipro, Kyiv and Lviv.

ABOUT THE HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ

The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a nonprofit education organization with a mission to offer the world’s most promising young musicians college level training by internationally acclaimed jazz masters and to present public school music education programs for young people around the world. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge to students, schools and communities worldwide. The Institute’s programs use jazz as the medium to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity, a positive self-image, and respect for one’s own and others’ cultural heritage. Founded in 1986 as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the organization began operating as the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz in 2019 in recognition of Mr. Hancock’s commitment to the Institute since its establishment, his expert guidance as Institute Chairman, and his immense contributions to and impact on music, education and humanity.

ABOUT THE HERB ALPERT SCHOOL OF MUSIC AT UCLA

In January 2016, the University of California Board of Regents formally established the Herb Alpert School of Music as UCLA’s 12th professional school and the first music school in the University of California system. Created in 2007 with a $30 million gift from the Herb Alpert Foundation, the school sets a new standard for 21st century music schools by balancing performance and scholarship, and by embracing classical western music, world music and jazz, and popular contemporary music. With more than 580 undergraduate and graduate students, the school offers 15 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs through three highly rated academic departments, each with internationally acclaimed faculty. The Department of Music competes for students with the nation’s top music schools. It provides intensive individual studio instruction, thorough theoretical training and full participation in large and small ensembles, and offers many degree tracks including the M.M. degree in conjunction with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The Department of Ethnomusicology is the only one of its kind in the U.S. and the most celebrated program in the world for the study of diverse musical cultures. The Department of Musicology teaches and conducts research on jazz, heavy metal, techno, musical theater, and other forms of popular music as well as European classical music. The National Research Council recently recognized UCLA Musicology as the top ranked academic music doctoral program in the U.S.

Institute’s 2023 International Piano Competition (Oct. 14-15, NYC) in Association with the New Perelman Performing Arts Center

Posted on June 15, 2023July 13, 2023 by Kamil Walji

All-Star Gala Concert to Honor Renowned Jazz Vocalist Dianne Reeves and Visionary Architect and Jazz Aficionado Frank Gehry

Washington, D.C — Outstanding young jazz pianists from around the world will compete in the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition on October 14-15 in New York City, presented in association with the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC). The 2023 Competition will be a premier feature of the inaugural season of PAC NYC, located on the historic World Trade Center campus, adjacent to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The 2023 Competition weekend will include a highly anticipated Semifinals round on October 14 at 1:00 p.m., followed by the Competition Finals and a spectacular All-Star Gala Concert on the evening of October 15. The All-Star Gala Concert will honor Dianne Reeves and Frank Gehry.

Open to musicians age 30 and under from across the globe, this year’s Competition will shine a spotlight on the piano. At stake is more than $150,000 in scholarships and prizes, including a $50,000 first place award, $25,000 second place, and $10,000 third place.

The semifinalists will perform on Saturday afternoon before an all-star judging panel of internationally acclaimed jazz pianists including Bill Charlap, Herbie Hancock, Hiromi and Danilo Pérez, with more to be announced. Each semifinalist will perform for 15 minutes accompanied by a stellar rhythm section featuring Carl Allen on drums and Rodney Whitaker on bass. The Semifinals will be free and open to the public; details on ticket distribution will be announced at a later date.

From this group, the judges will select three finalists to perform in the Competition Finals at the Perelman PAC on Sunday evening. The festivities will culminate with an All-Star Gala Concert featuring performances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dianne Reeves, Somi, Joe Lovano, John Beasley, Romero Lubambo, Ben Williams and many others.

The Institute will present its Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to multi-GRAMMY Award-winning jazz vocalist and educator Dianne Reeves. The Institute’s Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award will be given to globally-acclaimed architect Frank Gehry for his steadfast commitment to arts education, especially jazz and classical music training for young people. Past honorees have included Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Bill Clinton, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Dee Dee Bridgewater, George Benson and Terence Blanchard.

The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Competition plays a pivotal role in identifying, empowering and promoting the next generation of jazz musicians, educators and influencers. The Institute’s Competition has launched the careers of major jazz artists including saxophonist Joshua Redman and Melissa Aldana; vocalists Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jane Monheit, Jazzmeia Horn and Gretchen Parlato; pianist Kris Bowers; bassist Ben Williams; and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. These artists and dozens more from past Competitions have forged successful careers as performing and recording artists, as well as music educators helping to perpetuate America’s legacy of jazz.

The application for the 2023 Piano Competition can be found online at hancockinstitute.org/competition. All materials must be received no later than Monday, July 31, 2023.

Proceeds from the event will support the Herbie Hancock Institute’s free, year-round jazz education programs, which target underserved public schools across the United States and around the world.

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Competition

Formerly the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Competition, the Hancock Institute Competition is recognized as the world’s most prestigious jazz competition and for discovering the next generation of jazz masters. Each year, major scholarships and prizes are awarded to the talented young musicians participating in the Competition. The scholarships help pay tuition for college-level jazz education studies and provide funds for private, specialized instruction.

Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) at the World Trade Center was conceived as the cultural keystone in the 2003 plan for the rebuilt 16-acre World Trade Center site. As a global hub for creativity, the PAC will create connections between artists and audiences from across New York City and around the world through music, theater, dance, opera, film, and other events and experiences, demonstrating the power of the arts to inspire and unite. Designed by Joshua Ramus and his firm REX, in collaboration with theater consultant Charcoalblue and Executive Architect Davis Brody Bond, the building’s 129,000-square-foot “mystery box” houses three immensely flexible theaters that can be combined and reconfigured to accommodate artistic creativity, innovation, and invention and engage audiences with surprising new experiences at every visit.

International Jazz Day 2023 Worldwide Celebration Concludes with Extraordinary All-Star Global Concert

Posted on June 15, 2023June 15, 2023 by Kamil Walji

Thousands of Performances and Events Take Place in 195 Countries on All Continents

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton Joins Herbie Hancock for Historic Conversation about Jazz

Washington, DC, April 30 — The 12th annual International Jazz Day came to a thrilling close with a spectacular All-Star Global Concert featuring performances from Beijing, Beirut, Johannesburg, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Vienna and beyond. The All-Star Global Concert showcased celebrated jazz artists including Cyrille Aimée (France), Ambrose Akinmusire (USA), Thana Alexa (Croatia), John Beasley (USA), Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA), Musekiwa Chingodza (Zimbabwe), Emmet Cohen (USA), Kurt Elling (USA), Oran Etkin (Israel), Tom Gansch (Austria), Christian McBride (USA), Sérgio Mendes (Brazil), Marcus Miller (USA), Thandi Ntuli (South Africa), Dianne Reeves (USA), Antonio Sánchez (Mexico), Somi (Rwanda) and many others.

To mark International Jazz Day 2023, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock met for an historic conversation about the impact of jazz on their lives and humanity. The two friends reminisced about how they fell in love with jazz and which musicians have most captivated them over the years. They shared stories of how jazz has opened doors across the globe and how their musical experiences helped deepen their own personal and professional growth. Clinton and Hancock connected on the power that jazz can have in shaping our world for the better.

The All-Star Global Concert opened with acclaimed vocalist Somi and her remarkably unique rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” with John Beasley and Ben Williams. The Blue Note China Jazz Orchestra gave a rousing take on the Gershwin standard, “Fascinating Rhythm.” From Casablanca, Morocco, JazzWomenAfrica performed its composition “Bull Door,” sharing musical traditions of Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Togo and Ghana. Vocalist Yumi Park and Brazilian pianist Marcos Ariel delivered an exhilarating presentation of “Mas Que Nada” from Rio de Janeiro. Oran Etkin and Mbira player Musekiwa Chingodza provided a heartwarming performance from the streets of rural Zimbabwe. Herbie Hancock enlisted Ambrose Akinmusire and Walter Smith, III to perform Wayne Shorter’s iconic composition, “Footprints.” Dianne Reeves brought the evening to a gorgeous close with her stunning rendition of Horace Silver’s “Peace.”

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay noted, “Today, let us pay tribute to the genius of the creators and musicians who have been defining and redefining jazz for over a century, from Ella Fitzgerald to Manu Dibango. But let us also commit to supporting jazz players across the globe – so that the universal message of peace and humanity conveyed by jazz music resonates worldwide.”

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock said, “Respect for human dignity is firmly integrated into the DNA of jazz. International Jazz Day honors this important value by embracing the peace and freedom that jazz so eloquently proclaims. And that is the spirit of jazz – finding delight in diversity and creating harmony out of our differences.”

The International Jazz Day 2023 celebration included thousands of jazz performances, jam sessions, master classes, education and community outreach initiatives, and other special events in 195 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Additionally, UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz presented educational programs in five languages.

Major support for International Jazz Day 2023 is provided by the Doris Duke Foundation, with additional, generous support from the Ford Foundation. United Airlines, the airline partner of International Jazz Day, provided air transportation and additional support for artists and educators.

Each year on April 30, International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities on all continents to highlight the power of jazz as a force for freedom and creativity, promote intercultural dialogue through respect and understanding, and unite people throughout the world. International Jazz Day was adopted by the UNESCO Member Nations on the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, who co-chairs the annual celebration with UNESCO Director-GeneralAudrey Azoulay. Presented in partnership with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, the day is recognized on the official calendars of UNESCO and the United Nations.

International Jazz Day 2023, April 30th: A Jazz Journey around the World

Posted on April 24, 2023June 15, 2023 by Kamil Walji

Herbie Hancock to host All-Star Global Concert with UNESCO featuring performances in 13 global cities by Dianne Reeves, Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Somi, Sérgio Mendes, Cyrille Aimée, Antonio Sánchez, John Beasley and many more

Paris and New York––UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock today announced the program for the 2023 celebration of International Jazz Day, with participation from more than 190 countries. The flagship Jazz Day event, a spectacular All-Star Global Concert, will feature an extraordinary selection of jazz performances from Austria to Zimbabwe, highlighting the power of jazz in bridging differences and promoting unity and peace through intercultural dialogue and collaboration.

Herbie Hancock will take viewers on an international tour of sights and sounds showcasing jazz in all its diversity. The concert will feature performances from Beijing, China; Beirut, Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Johannesburg, South Africa; Marondera, Zimbabwe; Paris, France; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Vienna, Austria; and Fairbanks, Honolulu, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC, USA.

The live-streamed concert event will feature performances by some of the world’s most accomplished jazz artists, including Cyrille Aimée (France), Ambrose Akinmusire (USA), Thana Alexa (Croatia), John Beasley (USA), Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA), Bill Charlap (USA), Emmet Cohen (USA), Tom Gansch (Austria), Christian McBride (USA), Sérgio Mendes (Brazil), Marcus Miller (USA), Thandi Ntuli (South Africa), Dianne Reeves (USA), Antonio Sánchez (Mexico), Walter Smith III (USA), Somi (Rwanda) and Mike Stern (USA), among others. Renowned Mbira player Musekiwa Chingodza (Zimbabwe) will duet with Oran Etkin (Israel) on baritone clarinet; the Blue Note China Jazz Orchestra joins the Global Concert from Beijing; and JazzWomenAfrica celebrate from Casablanca. More information on the 2023 cast is available on jazzday.com.

The All-Star Global Concert will be webcast worldwide on April 30 at 4 pm EDT/1 pm PDT/10 pm CET on jazzday.com, unesco.org, the International Jazz Day YouTube and Facebook channels, and other outlets.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, recalling the significant role played by jazz in modern history, stated, “On this International Jazz Day, musicians around the world are once again answering, in great numbers, the resounding call for peace through music. Born out of struggles for justice, jazz inspires us to build a future that reflects its spirit – united in the celebration of diversity. Join us on this ‘Jazz Journey around the World’ and witness the power of music.”

Looking back on twelve years of International Jazz Day, Herbie Hancock remarked, “As the world’s largest, most inclusive celebration of jazz music, International Jazz Day unites people across the globe. Jazz has always been about expanding boundaries – inspiring musicians toward the future and its infinite possibilities. This year, we are thrilled that the All-Star Global Concert will reflect this expansive identity in a new way, by sharing with our audience a rich palette of sounds on more than a dozen stages in every corner of the planet.”

To kick off the International Jazz Day weekend, PBS will air a special on Friday evening, April 28 at 10 pm EDT (check your local listings). “International Jazz Day from the United Nations” will feature highlights of the 2022 All-Star Global Concert with performances by Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Shemekia Copeland, Gregory Porter, Lizz Wright, José James, Hiromi, Marcus Miller, Ravi Coltrane, Terri Lyne Carrington, Zakir Hussain, Brian Blade, Linda May Han Oh, Joey Alexander and more.

Masterclasses, concerts, educational programs and other events worldwide
In the lead-up to the 2023 All-Star Global Concert, a series of free, online education programs will be presented via jazzday.com, unesco.org, the International Jazz Day YouTube and Facebook pages.

An array of acclaimed artist-educators will present a multilingual selection of offerings that will emphasize the richness—and relevance—of jazz to learners at all levels. Programming will be available in Arabic, English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, with topics including music making for kids, improvisation, and the intersection of jazz harmony and diverse international musical traditions. A complete listing and schedule of education programs will be available at jazzday.com/education.

The worldwide program for International Jazz Day 2023 also includes an extraordinary range of programming in more than 190 countries, with concerts and performance-based initiatives complemented by wide-ranging social outreach and educational activities. In Brazil, the Música na Árvore Solar Festival will pay homage to Louis Armstrong and feature sustainability in its lineup, powering its stage performances with mobile solar panels. The Croatian Radio Television Jazz Orchestra will be toasting its 75^th anniversary on Jazz Day with a concert and live broadcast on Croatian national television. In New Zealand, the Whanganui Collegiate School presents three days of events including a jam session, a gala concert and an open forum with the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, exploring jazz music in education. The Tottori Jazz Festival in Japan hosts a five-day series of concerts in addition to an art exhibit, jam sessions and workshops. The Botswana Society for Jazz Education kicks off a week of music workshops, instrumental clinics, masterclasses and nightly jam sessions, culminating with a grand concert featuring local and international musicians. UNESCO Creative Cities will be hosting a variety of activities around the world, leveraging music as a powerful accelerator for culture-driven sustainable urban development.

Jazz festivals around the world will also be commemorating International Jazz Day through special events. Participating festivals include the Adelaide Jazz Festival (Australia), Baku Jazz Festival (Azerbaijan), Festival Jazz à Ouaga (Burkina Faso), Festival Internacional de Blues y Jazz de Bucuramanga (Colombia), Mladí Ladí Jazz (Czechia), La Esquina Jazz Festival (Guatemala), Jazzfest Budapest (Hungary), Rossini Jazz Festival (Italy), Azalea JazzFEST (Japan), Bishkek International Jazz Festival (Kyrgyzstan), MAMA JAZ (Mauritius), Neuma International Jazz Festival (Mexico), Port Moresby Jazz & Blues Festival (Papua New Guinea), JAZZtrzębie Festiwal (Poland), Scottsdale Jazz Festival and Overtown Jazz Festival (USA) and many more.

To learn about the hundreds of other events planned in all 50 U.S. states and 190+ countries across the world, visit jazzday.com/events.

Major support for International Jazz Day is provided by the Doris Duke Foundation, with additional, generous support from the Ford Foundation. Air transportation and additional support for artists and educators is provided by United Airlines, the airline partner of International Jazz Day.

Proclaimed at UNESCO in 2011 at the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities worldwide every year on April 30. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is UNESCO’s partner in the organization and promotion of International Jazz Day.

Download the press release

Learn more about International Jazz Day

Learn more about UNESCO

Media: contact Alisse Kingsley