Outstanding pianists, piano teachers and keyboard artists from throughout the nation will join internationally acclaimed pianists Harold Danko and Christopher Taylor for the West Virginia University Keyboard Festival and Competition, to be held at the Creative Arts Center, June 23-27.

Titled “The Intersection of Jazz and Classical Music: a Piano Festival for Students and Teachers,” the event will explore the many ways jazz and classical music intersect and influence each other.

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:

Monday, June 23
1 p.m. – “Solo Jazz Piano: An In-depth Discussion”—Daniel Strange, from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music.

2 p.m. – “Tips and Tricks for Teaching Jazz, Classical and More”—Khe Sin Khoo, who recently received a doctorate in piano performance from WVU, and Justin Krueger, who is currently a doctoral candidate at WVU.

3 p.m. – “Dancing Cheek to Cheek: The Common Ground of Jazz and Art Music in the Twentieth Century”–Kate Altizer, doctoral student in musicology at Indiana University, who also holds degrees in piano performance and music history from WVU.

Tuesday, June 24
11 a.m. – Jazz Panel Discussion –Jazz musician Keith Jackson, director, WVU School of Music, and Daniel Strange from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music.

12 p.m. –Master Class by Peter Amstutz, WVU professor of piano.

1 p.m. –”How to Listen to Jazz”—Jazz musician Keith Jackson, director, WVU School of Music.

2 p.m. – Jazz Clinic: “Strategies for Piano Improvisation”—Harold Danko, jazz pianist and faculty member at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Presiding: James Miltenberger, WVU professor of piano.

5 p.m. –Workshop for Raleigh County Students: “The Piano Inside and Out”—Timothy Richards, WVU piano technician.

Wednesday, June 25
12 p.m. –Master Class by Lucy Mauro, WVU professor of piano.

1 p.m. – “Why We Don’t Dance to Ravel, and Other Tales of the Listening Music Professional”—Katherine Altizer, doctoral student in musicology at Indiana University, who also holds degrees in piano performance and music history from WVU.

2 p.m. – “Adding Notes to Bach” –John Salmon, of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Music.

4 p.m. –Classical Panel Discussion—”Career Paths: Being a Classical Pianist”—Christine Kefferstan, WVU professor of piano; Kate Altizer, doctoral student in musicology at Indiana University, who also holds degrees in piano performance and music history from WVU; and concert pianist Robert Auler, who is on the piano faculty at the State University of New York Oswego.

5 p.m. –Workshop for Raleigh County Students with WVU piano faculty—James Miltenberger and Lucy Mauro.

Thursday, June 26
11 a.m. – “From Sacred to Secular: An Overview of Keyboard Styles in WV”—Travis Stimeling, professor of music history at WVU.

12 p.m. – Master Class by James Miltenberger, professor of piano at WVU.

1 p.m. – “Pro Tools for the Independent Musician”—Mark Benincosa, recording engineer and professor of music technology at WVU.

2 p.m. – Master Class by classical pianist Christopher Taylor, who is the Paul Collins Professor of Piano Performance at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The class will be with the First Place winners of the Classical High School and College Student Competitions, as well as with WVU piano students.

4 p.m. – “Debussy and the Cakewalk” –Jerry Wong, professor of piano at Kent State University.

5 p.m. – “Improvisation: A World of Pure Imagination”—Justin Krueger, doctoral candidate in piano performance in WVU.

Friday, June 27
9 a.m. – “The Publication Process”—Marilyn Briant and Andrew Zatman, teachers, composers and performers who have collaborated on many musical projects.

10 a.m. – “Are We Scared of Improvisation?”—Johan Botes, pianist and teacher who will be joining the faculty at Marshall University.

11 a.m. – “Classical and Jazz Influences in the Music of Nikolai Kapustin: Sonata #3, Op. 55”—Yana Tyulkova, doctoral candidate in piano performance at WVU.

12 p.m. – Master Class by Christine Kefferstan, professor of piano at WVU.

Two special public events will be held as part of the festival:

A jazz concert by guest artist Harold Danko, with local jazz musicians Scott Green and Mark Capellini, will be held Monday, June 23, at 7 p.m. in Bloch Learning and Performance Hall (Room 200A) at the Creative Arts Center.

Also, a classical concert by guest artist Christopher Taylor will be held Wednesday, June 25, at 7 p.m. in Bloch Hall. A reception will follow in the CAC lobby, sponsored by the WVU Community Music Program and Karen Taddie, coordinator.

Tickets for both the jazz concert and the classical concert are $10 each and will be available at the door.

In addition, there will be free concerts by the Jazz Student Competition winners on Tuesday, June 24, at 4 p.m. and by the Classical Student Competition winners on Friday, June 27, at 1 p.m. A free Showcase Jazz and Classical Concert will be held Tuesday, June 24, at 7 p.m. All these concerts will be held in the Bloch Learning and Performance Hall (Room 200A).

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.

To register online, go to: http://wvu.augusoft.net/.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

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