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 Saturday, 20 March 2010 |
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2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition & 20th Anniversary Gala Concert |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 07 September 2006 |
Washington, DC – As part of its 20th Anniversary Celebration weekend,
the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz will present the 2006 Thelonious
Monk International Jazz Piano Competition and 20th Anniversary Gala
Concert in Washington, DC on September 16-17, 2006. The
Competition will showcase the talents of 12 of the world’s most gifted,
young jazz pianists. They will travel to Washington, DC from all
corners of the globe to compete for scholarships and the prestige of
winning this internationally acclaimed award.
The Semifinals will be held on Saturday, September 16th at 1:00 p.m. at
the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Baird Auditorium
(10th Street & Constitution Avenue NW). The Finals will be
held on Sunday, September 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the Kennedy Center’s
Eisenhower Theater. Three finalists will vie for a $20,000 first
place scholarship, $10,000 second place scholarship, and $5,000 third
place scholarship. A stellar group of Jazz All-Stars will perform
in celebration of the Institute’s major accomplishments in furthering
jazz performance and education over the past two decades, with performances by some of the greatest jazz artists on the scene today, including Patti Austin, Terence Blanchard, Ron Carter, T.S. Monk, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, and Wayne Shorter, as well as past Competition winners saxophonist Joshua Redman and vocalist Jane Monheit.
 Danilo Perez
The Competition, compared in stature to that of the classical
Tchaikovsky and Van Cliburn Competitions, is the most prestigious jazz
competition in the world, and is widely known for discovering the jazz
stars of tomorrow. It has launched the careers of pianists Marcus
Roberts and Jacky Terrasson, saxophonist Joshua Redman, and vocalists
Jane Monheit and Tierney Sutton, to name a few. These artists and
dozens of others from past Competitions have forged successful careers
as performing and recording artists as well as music educators.
They have earned worldwide respect and media attention while helping to
preserve and perpetuate America’s legacy of jazz.
Each year the Competition shines a spotlight on a different
instrument. Past Competitions have featured the saxophone,
trumpet, trombone, guitar, vocals, piano, bass, and drums. This
year's young aspiring jazz pianists will perform for an illustrious
panel of judges, including renowned jazz pianists Kenny Barron,
Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill, Danilo Perez, Renee
Rosnes, Billy Taylor, and Randy Weston. Bassist Rodney Whitaker
and drummer Carl Allen will accompany the finalists.
 Quincy Jones © Herman Leonard
The evening’s Hosts will include Quincy Jones, Phylicia Rashad, and
Billy Dee Williams. Following the three finalists, the audience
will be treated to a special performance of the winning composition of
the 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition,
sponsored by BMI. The $10,000 Composers Award is presented
annually to the young, aspiring composer who best demonstrates
originality, creativity, and excellence in jazz composition. The
2006 Composers Competition is devoted to jazz compositions that feature
the piano. BMI is one of the world's largest performing rights
organizations, representing the works of Thelonious Monk and more than
300,000 composers, songwriters, and music publishers in all genres of
music.
The second half of the Competition finals will feature performances by
some of the greatest jazz artists on the scene today, including Patti
Austin, Terence Blanchard, Ron Carter, T.S. Monk, John Patitucci,
Danilo Perez, and Wayne Shorter, as well as past Competition winners
saxophonist Joshua Redman and vocalist Jane Monheit. Keyboardist and
producer George Duke will serve as the Musical Director.
 John Patitucci © Andrea Canter
The 20th Anniversary Gala Concert is made possible by General Motors
and Northrop Grumman. The 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz
Piano Competition is sponsored by GMAC.
Air transportation is provided by United, the Official Airline of the
Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the September 16th Semifinals are free of charge and will
be distributed at Baird Auditorium by the Smithsonian Associates
(202.357.3030) on a first-come, first-served basis beginning 90 minutes
prior to the 1:00 p.m. starting time.
 Joshua Redman
About the Thelonious Monk Institute of
Jazz
Established in 1986 in memory of the renowned jazz pianist and
composer, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz (www.monkinstitute.org)
celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Its mission is to
preserve America’s legacy of jazz through performance and
education. The Institute offers the world’s most promising young
musicians college level training by America’s jazz masters and presents
public school-based jazz education programs for young people around the
world. Additionally, the Institute provides scholarships,
performance opportunities, and worldwide recognition to gifted young
musicians through its many jazz education programs. The
Institute’s most recent project is Jazz in America: The National Jazz
Curriculum, a free Internet-based curriculum for 5th, 8th and 11th
grade public school students, located at
www.jazzinamerica.org. |
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