Guest Artist Showcase with Helen Sung

EWHS and EARSHOT JAZZ were proud to host Helen Sung for our fall Guest Artist Concert on Tuesday, October 9th, 2018.

More about this amazing artist here ....
http://www.helensung.com/

Ms. Sung lead rehearsals and master classes during the day and performed as soloist as well as in collaboration with EW Big Bands and Combos. She performed "In Walked Bud" and demonstrated some "stride" style piano.

Here's a snippet of the in class session ....

https://vimeo.com/295021719

Masterclass sessions focused on getting students to put their own unique spirit into the music.  In Advisory session (all jazz students) she told her story of being raised as a classical musician and then attending a Harry Connick Jr. concert while in high school (at the urging of a friend) and that was the inspiration to begin learning more about Jazz.

She talked about her time at the Thelonius Monk Institute and that Jazz has a tradition of being taught as a craft from master to apprentice. This idea is at the heart of why I like to host guest artists as often as possible and also encourage all students to find a quality private teacher to guide their development.

She also encouraged drummers to find the heart of their sound in the ride cymbal and to listen to the masters like Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, Max Roach and Louis Hayes. During the session of rehearsal and even on stage in the evening performance she cheered the drummer to "Play" fuller and put more life into the cymbal sound.

There was a brief lesson about the importance of practicing with the metronome on different portions of the beat. Helen played Donna Lee with the metronome beating on the 2nd triplet of each beat which was a virtuosic display of discipline and concentration.

EWHS pianists were grateful to get to spend some quality time working on piano concepts.

Night concert was well attended and the students rose to the occasion. Ms. Sung joined Jazz Ensemble II on a vocal version of Tangerine sung by Hannah Rosenberg. 

Jazz Ensemble I opened with Harlem Airshaft and Tall Cotton then Ms. Sung also played with both top combos on The Jody Grind and Brother Thelonius (her own composition). Solo Piano pieces were definitely one of the highlights of the evening.  Jazz I concluded by playing Convergence and Song for Bilboa with Helen and various student soloists.