Simons Fellowship – Week #4
This last week of this period of my fellowship was jam packed. Rehearsals, meetings and a final concert at the Hall Center for the Humanities, plus packing to head back to NYC.
I was very lucky to perform with four very gifted student musicians from the University of Kansas’ music department. Vocalist, Nora Woolpert – Guitarist, Lucas Parker – Violinist, Shan-Ken Chien and Trombonist, Brian Scarborough all are deeply musical. They sang, played and improvised, creating much music and the reaction from the audience was extremely positive. I was very happy for them to have this experience to be so musical. For me, it was personally satisfying to select compositions that I thought would fit their playing styles, then hear it sound good and finally have an audience appreciate the performance. Again, as I said, the Simons Fellowship has been an extraordinary experience and I am extremely grateful to Dr. Victor Bailey and his wonder fully caring staff. I feel really great about all that was accomplished.
Photo: Vocalist, Nora Woolpert; Guitarist, Lucas Parker; Violinist, Shan-Ken Chien; Trombonist, Brian Scarborough; Pianist, Randy Klein.
During this week, I also met with Dan Gailey, the head of the Jazz department at KU about my return to KU sometime in early February. He asked me to teach an ensemble and be a part of the KU Jazz festival. The best news is that my friends/musicians, Chris Washburne, trombone and Ole Mathisen, saxophone, will be in Lincoln, Nebraska during my next visit. They will drive to KU and a concert is now planned for February 11, 2012 as part of the KU artists’ series that will include them and my ‘Two Duos’ project.
Photo: Randy Klein at the Hall Center for the Humanities
I am looking forward to seeing my friends again at the Hall Center and will go back in February. Meanwhile…. I happy to be home in NYC! I was missing the grit and grime! As Dorothy said to Toto, ‘There’s no place like home’!!!
More to come……
Randy