BMI Jazz Orchestra to Give Special Concert at IAJE Conference

Posted in News on December 13, 2006

Members of the esteemed BMI Jazz Composers Workshop are set to perform at a special concert as part of the 34th Annual International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) Conference, being held Jan. 10-13, 2007, in New York City. The BMI performance will take place Friday, Jan. 12, 2007, at 3 p.m. in the Sheraton Hotel's Metropolitan Ballroom (811 Seventh Avenue at 52nd Street). This is an official 2007 IAJE event open to conference badge-holders and invited guests only; tickets will not be sold.

The special IAJE showcase will feature award-winning works and some of the best compositions from the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra, a 16-piece modern repertory ensemble made up of leading Workshop members. Composer Asuka Kakitani, winner of the BMI Foundation's 2006 Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize and the 2006 Manny Albam Commission, will conduct her winning piece entitled "Dance I." Charlie Parker Prize finalists Javier Arau and Tom Goehring will also take the stage to conduct their works, as will Workshop members Michele Caniato, Jeff Fairbanks and Bryan Knox.

Now in its second decade, the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop is led by internationally renowned composers Jim McNeely and Michael Abene, and offers a unique collaborative environment for professional jazz musicians with an emphasis on composition for the large jazz/big band ensemble. The Workshop-a well-known forum for creative excellence-provides an environment where composers are free to explore new avenues in the creative process, while at the same time honing their skills.

With a rich history in both jazz music and music education, BMI is a long-time supporter of IAJE, whose mission is to ensure the continued worldwide growth and development of jazz and jazz education through research, financial assistance and advocating for jazz in all appropriate forums. The association's role as the leading voice for the global jazz community is reflected in the 2007 IAJE Conference with programming for educators, musicians, students and industry executives, providing professional development and training for all segments of its membership.

SOURCENews TAGS Jazz Manny Albam Asuka Kakitani Jim McNeely Charlie Parker