BRATTLEBORO — The Vermont Jazz Center celebrates the vital impact that the piano has played in the history of jazz by hosting its seventh annual Solo Jazz Piano Festival on Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April, 22. The artists headlining this year's festivals are Michael Weiss, Dan Tepfer, Myra Melford, and Orrin Evans; emerging artists are Shiyu Fang and Remi Savard.
On the performance evenings at 7:30 p.m., two headlining pianists will present back-to-back solo sets. April 21 will include sets by Weiss and Tepfer, and on April 22 concertgoers will hear Melford and Evans.
Saturday, April 22, is a full day of educational and concert programming. Beginning at 10 a.m. three of the headliners will present, with a fourth and final presentation at 3:30 p.m. These presentations are designed to be accessible to all music lovers, not just pianists.
In addition to the four presentations, Saturday will include two short sets from the emerging artists as well as interviews and a round-table discussion with all six artists moderated by VJC Director Eugene Uman. Topics for the panel will be selected from questions presented by in-person and online audiences.
The Solo Jazz Piano Festival, now in its seventh year, is one of the cornerstones of the VJC's programming. The festival has presented some of the world's top pianists and most important musical innovators of this generation.
The festival continues to be a unique opportunity for audiences of all backgrounds to communicate directly with the artists as they divulge their methods and teachings through performances and presentations, and the VJC says it is honored to continue this important tradition in Brattleboro.
According to Uman, “Each of this year's headliners are highly regarded by jazz lovers around the world. They are all virtuosic in their abilities and have released numerous, celebrated recordings as leaders and side-people. But what sets this group of four apart is that each individual conveys a completely distinct approach to the instrument. Each pianist is a mature example of an artist who has developed an instantly recognizable vocabulary and personal style.”
The full schedule is available at bit.ly/711-piano. A full festival pass is $80 to $120, while the individual headliner concerts are $20 to $50; A Saturday daytime pass is $60. All tickets are general admission and offered on a sliding fee scale (except the Saturday daytime pass).
For tickets to the in-person shows and information on watching livestream concerts (presented by donation), and accessibility, visit vtjazz.org or email at ginger@vtjazz.org. Vermont Jazz Center is also on Facebook.