Ken Schaphorst Conducts New England Conservatory Jazz Orchestra on October 20

New England Conservatory’s internationally renowned Jazz Studies Department showcases its accomplished jazz vocal students in If You Could See Me Now: Music for Voice and Jazz Orchestra. Ken Schaphorst conducts the NEC Jazz Orchestra in music composed and arranged for voice and jazz orchestra, from traditional jazz to more contemporary styles. The 7:30 p.m. concert takes place on Thursday, October 20 at Jordan Hall, 290 Huntington Avenue, Boston. Free and open to the public. Tickets required; please visit necmusic.edu to secure your ticket. The concert will also be available to stream via the link above beginning in early December 1.

Throughout the history of jazz, the sound of voice and big band has been a constant. Reflecting this long and varied tradition, the NEC Jazz Orchestra presents music stretching over more than seven decades, from Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher” to John Hollenbeck’s “A Blessing.” The program includes music by Tadd Dameron, Billy Eckstine, Sun Ra and Kenny Wheeler as well as popular songs like “Angel Eyes,” “Blue Skies,” “I’ve Got the World on a String” and “Orange Colored Sky.”

About NEC’s Jazz Studies Department

The first fully accredited jazz studies program at a music conservatory, NEC’s Jazz Studies Department was the brainchild of Gunther Schuller, who moved quickly to incorporate jazz into the curriculum when he became president of the Conservatory in 1967. Schuller hired Carl Atkins to head the department, as well as George Russell, Jaki Byard and Ran Blake. Among the “most acclaimed and successful in the world” (JazzTimes), the program has spawned numerous Grammy winning composers and performers and has an alumni list that reads like a who's who of jazz, while the faculty has included six MacArthur “genius" grant recipients (three currently teaching) and four NEA Jazz Masters. The foundation of its teaching and success begins with the mentor relationship developed in lessons between students and the prominent faculty artists. In addition to its two jazz orchestras, NEC’s faculty-coached small ensembles reflect the Conservatory’s inclusive approach to music making, with groups focused on free jazz, early jazz, gospel music, Brazilian music, and songwriting, as well as more traditional approaches to jazz performance. Each jazz student is encouraged to find their own musical voice while making connections and collaborating with a vibrant community of creative musicians, and to ultimately transform the world through the power of music.

About New England Conservatory (NEC)

Founded by Eben Tourjée in Boston, Massachusetts in 1867, the New England Conservatory (NEC) represents a model of music school that combines the best of European tradition with American innovation. This independent conservatory stands at the center of Boston’s rich cultural history and musical life, presenting concerts at the renowned Jordan Hall on Huntington Avenue, recognized as Boston’s Avenue of the Arts. As a not-for-profit institution that educates and trains musicians of all ages, NEC cultivates a diverse, dynamic community, providing music students of more than 40 countries with performance opportunities and high-caliber training from 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. Propelled by profound artistry, bold creativity and deep compassion, NEC seeks to amplify musicians’ impact on advancing our shared humanity, and empowers students to meet today’s changing world head-on, equipped with the tools and confidence to forge multidimensional lives of artistic depth and relevance.

NEC pushes the boundaries of music-making and teaching through college-level training in classical, jazz, and contemporary improvisation. Through unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships, NEC empowers students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC’s mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, the Preparatory School and School of Continuing Education deliver training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students and adults.