Berklee College of Music awarded the University of Pittsburgh Department of Music's Geri Allen an honorary doctorate during their 2014 commencement ceremony. Allen was honored along with music education innovator Thara Memory, Rock legend Jimmy Page, and R&B luminary Valerie Simpson.
Updated: Stream the entire Marylou Williams Cyber Symposium video here!
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an extensive profile of PhD candidate Nathan Frink and his transcription and performance of music by Ornette Coleman. The performance of Coleman's music (happening tonight) is an outgrowth of Frink's 2012 MA thesis. Frink described the process of his research for PG writer Manny Theiner.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ranked this year's Jazz Seminar Concert one of the year's best jazz events in its annual "Best of…" issue. According to the P-G,
"…pianist Geri Allen…wasted no time in putting her stamp on the annual event, bringing in vocalist Carmen Lundy and tap dancer Brinae Ali."
Congratulations to Geri Allen and all the performers!
Joe Negri, private instructor in jazz guitar, received a 2013 ASCAP Plus award to be distributed in 2014. ASCAP (the American Society of Composers and Performers) licenses the music of a wide variety of artists from chart topping pop stars to contemporary classical composers. The ASCAP Plus Awards are given to artists whose work is judged to be artistically significant by an independent panel of experts without regard to the music’s commercial success.
Jazz pianist Jim Holman (BA 2010) has made a place for himself in Chicago’s jazz scene since his undergraduate days at Pitt. Holman performs regularly at venues such as the Green Mill and the Jazz Showcase, collaborating with outstanding artists like tenor sax man Frank Catalano and multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan.
The Department of Music’s History of Jazz course has been selected “Best Class” by readers of The Pitt News in the campus paper’s annual “Best of…” issue. The Pitt News editorial staff describes the course as “a crowd pleaser” where students learn about the “most talented artists in one of music’s most influential genres.”
The 43rd Annual Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert — under the direction of Geri Allen — was amazing this year! It was made even more special by being a tribute to event founder Nathan Davis. You can still own a piece of this historic event by purchasing a Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert T-shirt.
Nathan Davis, Professor of Music, Emeritus and founder of the Department of Music’s Jazz Studies Program was awarded the BNY Mellon Jazz 2013 Living Legacy Award.
“The award, which honors jazz masters from the mid-Atlantic region who have achieved distinction in jazz performance and education, was presented to Davis in a special ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday on Oct. 5.”