In a special performance at New England Conservatory, the forward-thinking guest artists perform bold, intimate music from their forthcoming album End of Something.
New England Conservatory (NEC) welcomes Jazz Studies alumna, composer and vocalist Sara Serpa (MM, 2008) and pianist Matt Mitchell for a performance and master class focusing on the art of the duo. The performance takes place at 7:30 pm on Thursday, October 2 at Williams Hall, 290 Huntington Avenue, Boston. Admission is free and open to the public. Information at Dominique Eade and Ran Blake, among many others,” says Serpa. “During my years in Boston, the NEC community felt like family, and I carry deep gratitude for the teachers who believed in me and helped shape me into the musician I am today.”
The concert features music from the duo’s forthcoming album End of Something, featuring 15 intimate and expansive tracks weaving through composition and improvisation and capturing the deep musical connection Serpa and Mitchell have cultivated over years of collaboration. End of Something, (out November 7 via Obliquity Records) includes original pieces by both artists as well as settings of texts by poets/writers Sonia Sanchez, Sofia de Mello Breyner, Virginia Woolf, and Luce Irigaray, as well as a stunning rendition of Olivier Messiaen’s “Les Bergers.”
Serpa and Mitchell also offer a masterclass exploring the intersections of improvisation, composition, and collaboration. The event provides insight into contemporary approaches to voice and piano, the blending of composition with spontaneous creation, and strategies for developing trust and communication in collaborative settings. Serpa and Mitchell present excerpts from their duo work; discussion of compositional processes, improvisational language, and aesthetic choices; and a Q&A session addressing career development, artistic identity, and navigating multiple musical traditions.
Based in New York City, she has performed at iconic venues such as Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Kennedy Center, Joe’s Pub, and the Village Vanguard. Since 2008, she has toured internationally with her own projects, and has also performed extensively with bassist Linda May Han Oh, contributing her voice to some of today’s most forward-thinking musical collaborations.
Serpa has worked with artists including Mark Turner, Ran Blake, David Virelles, Fabian Almazan, John Zorn, Erik Friedlander, Ingrid Laubrock, Danilo Perez, Kris Davis, Zeena Parkins, and André Matos, her long-time duo partner. Her work has been recognized by The New York Times, NPR, DownBeat Magazine, and The Wire.
Serpa is also the co-founder of M³ (Mutual Mentorship for Musicians), a pioneering initiative supporting women and gender-expansive artists. A dedicated educator, she teaches at The New School and continues to reshape the landscape of vocal music in the 21st century. She earned her master’s degree in Jazz Studies from NEC in 2008.
The Conservatory’s roster of alumni includes hundreds of music's most influential artists. That list includes Coretta Scott King, Florence Price, Tessa Lark, George Li, Inmo Yang, Yura Lee, Stefan Jackiw, Anthony Leon, Erica Petrocelli, Minsoo Sohn, Cecil Taylor, and Denyce Graves.
As an independent, not-for-profit institution that educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, NEC is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools. It 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. NEC pushes the boundaries of music-making and teaching through college-level training in classical, jazz, and contemporary musical arts. The newly launched Institute for Concert Artists propels such young artists to the heights of their potential. Through unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships, the Conservatory empowers students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC’s mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, NEC’s Expanded Education programs deliver training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, and adults.
The concert features music from the duo’s forthcoming album End of Something, featuring 15 intimate and expansive tracks weaving through composition and improvisation and capturing the deep musical connection Serpa and Mitchell have cultivated over years of collaboration. End of Something, (out November 7 via Obliquity Records) includes original pieces by both artists as well as settings of texts by poets/writers Sonia Sanchez, Sofia de Mello Breyner, Virginia Woolf, and Luce Irigaray, as well as a stunning rendition of Olivier Messiaen’s “Les Bergers.”
Serpa and Mitchell also offer a masterclass exploring the intersections of improvisation, composition, and collaboration. The event provides insight into contemporary approaches to voice and piano, the blending of composition with spontaneous creation, and strategies for developing trust and communication in collaborative settings. Serpa and Mitchell present excerpts from their duo work; discussion of compositional processes, improvisational language, and aesthetic choices; and a Q&A session addressing career development, artistic identity, and navigating multiple musical traditions.
About Sara Serpa
Sara Serpa is a Portuguese vocalist and composer whose music defies convention, blending jazz, chamber music, and experimental sound into a singular, emotionally resonant voice. Known for her pure tone, wordless singing, and fearless improvisation, Serpa has earned international acclaim for creating music that is both intimate and visionary.Based in New York City, she has performed at iconic venues such as Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Kennedy Center, Joe’s Pub, and the Village Vanguard. Since 2008, she has toured internationally with her own projects, and has also performed extensively with bassist Linda May Han Oh, contributing her voice to some of today’s most forward-thinking musical collaborations.
Serpa has worked with artists including Mark Turner, Ran Blake, David Virelles, Fabian Almazan, John Zorn, Erik Friedlander, Ingrid Laubrock, Danilo Perez, Kris Davis, Zeena Parkins, and André Matos, her long-time duo partner. Her work has been recognized by The New York Times, NPR, DownBeat Magazine, and The Wire.
Serpa is also the co-founder of M³ (Mutual Mentorship for Musicians), a pioneering initiative supporting women and gender-expansive artists. A dedicated educator, she teaches at The New School and continues to reshape the landscape of vocal music in the 21st century. She earned her master’s degree in Jazz Studies from NEC in 2008.
About Matt Mitchell
Matt Mitchell is a pianist and composer whose creative practice exists in the nexus between myriad strains of acoustic, electric, composed, and improvised new music. He has released several forward-thinking, critically acclaimed, and influential albums as a leader on Pi Recordings, Screwgun Records, and Out of Your Head Records, and together with Kate Gentile he runs Obliquity Records. In addition to co-leading Snark Horse with Kate Gentile, he also fronts several ensembles featuring many of the foremost musicians on the scene, including Kim Cass, Jon Irabagon, Miles Okazaki, Mariel Roberts, Sara Schoenbeck, Brandon Seabrook, Andrew Smiley, Ches Smith, Chris Tordini, Anna Webber, and Dan Weiss. He is a member of several significant and acclaimed creative music ensembles, led by Dan Weiss, Miles Okazaki, Ches Smith, Kate Gentile, Anna Webber, Jon Irabagon. Ralph Alessi, and Yuhan Su. He has a longstanding association with Tim Berne, and he plays and has played extensively in the ensembles of many major figures in improvised music, including Dave Douglas, Steve Coleman, David Binney, John Hollenbeck, Miguel Zenon, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Linda May Han Oh, Jonathan Finlayson, Mario Pavone, and Darius Jones. Awards he has received include the Pew Fellowship in the Arts, the Doris Duke Impact Award, and grants from the Shifting Foundation.About New England Conservatory (NEC)
Founded by Eben Tourjée in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1867, New England Conservatory (NEC) represents a new model of music school that combines the best of European tradition with American innovation. The school stands at the center of Boston’s rich cultural history and musical life, presenting concerts at the renowned Jordan Hall. 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.The Conservatory’s roster of alumni includes hundreds of music's most influential artists. That list includes Coretta Scott King, Florence Price, Tessa Lark, George Li, Inmo Yang, Yura Lee, Stefan Jackiw, Anthony Leon, Erica Petrocelli, Minsoo Sohn, Cecil Taylor, and Denyce Graves.
As an independent, not-for-profit institution that educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, NEC is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools. It 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. NEC pushes the boundaries of music-making and teaching through college-level training in classical, jazz, and contemporary musical arts. The newly launched Institute for Concert Artists propels such young artists to the heights of their potential. Through unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships, the Conservatory empowers students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC’s mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, NEC’s Expanded Education programs deliver training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, and adults.
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