NEC's Student Ensembles Announce Upcoming Livestream Concerts

Exceptional student ensembles from New England Conservatory's internationally renowned Jazz Studies and Contemporary Improvisation (CI) Departments perform an array of jazz, world, and creative music concerts throughout November. Concerts feature everything from the Persian music, contemporary chamber music, early jazz and West African music.

For information visit https://necmusic.edu/concerts.

McBee and Coleman Early Jazz Ensembles

Monday, November 9

Sets at 7 and 9 p.m., Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room
Performances by small jazz ensembles coached by Cecil McBee and Anthony Coleman. For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/jazz-nec-mcbee-coleman-early-jazz-ensembles.

Mandé West African Ensemble

Tuesday, November 10

Sets at 7 and 9 p.m. The Mandé West African Ensemble directed by Balla Kouyaté, is an introduction to West African history and culture through music, offering students the opportunity to learn songs from a repertoire of West African music, including songs from the Wassalou, Bambara, Songhai ethnic groups and the Djeli tradition. For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/contemporary-improvisation-nec-mande-west-african-ensembles.

Levy and Zenón Ensembles

Wednesday, November 11

Sets at 7 and 9 p.m., Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room
Performances by small jazz ensembles coached by Brian Levy and Miguel Zenón.
For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/jazz-nec-levy-zenon-ensembles.

Eade Ensembles

Thursday, November 12, 7 p.m.

Sets at 7 and 9 p.m., Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room
Performances by small jazz ensembles coached by Dominique Eade.
For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/jazz-nec-eade-ensembles-3.

Nieske Ensemble

Friday, November 13

Sets at 7 and 9 p.m., Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room
Small jazz ensemble coached by Bob Nieske.
For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/jazz-nec-nieske-ensemble.

Dijkstra and Lockwood Ensembles

Monday, November 16

Sets at 7 and 9 p.m., Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room
Small jazz ensembles coached by Jorrit Dijkstra and John Lockwood.
For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/jazz-nec-dijkstra-lockwood-ensembles.

CI and Jazz Ensembles for Non-Majors

Wednesday, November 18

Sets at 7 and 9 p.m. Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room
These ensembles, directed by Mark Zaleski, offer students outside of the Contemporary Improvisation and Jazz departments opportunities to explore improvisation, jazz, songwriting and world music traditions.
For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/contemporary-improvisation-and-jazz-nec-ci-jazz-ensembles-non-majors.

Open Form Ensemble and Survivors Breakfast

Monday, November 23

Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room

7 p.m. - Open Form Ensemble
Directed by Anthony Coleman, this student ensemble explores experimental scores for small ensemble. The group will perform open form pieces including Four Systems by Earle Brown, The Gentle by Pauline Oliveros, Paragraph VI from The Great Learning by Cornelius Cardew, and Les Moutons de Panurge by Frederic Rzewski.

9 p.m. - Survivors Breakfast
Directed by Anthony Coleman, this ensemble explores the wonderful and terrifying space between composition and improvisation. Repertoire includes original compositions by ensemble members along with pieces by John Zorn, Christian Wolff and Karlheinz Stockhausen.

For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/contemporary-improvisation-nec-open-form-ensemble-survivors-breakfast.

Persian Music Ensemble

Tuesday, November 24

7 p.m. Livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room
In the Persian Music Ensemble, directed by Nima Janmohammadi, NEC's Contemporary Improvisation students share music from the canon of Persian music learned in the traditional aural method.
For information visit https://necmusic.edu/events/contemporary-music-nec-persian-music-ensemble.

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. He soon hired saxophonist Carl Atkins as the first department chair, as well as other greats including NEA Jazz Master George Russell, pianist Jaki Byard and Ran Blake. 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, faculty-coached small ensembles reflect NEC's inclusive approach to music making, with ensembles focused on free jazz, early jazz, gospel music, Brazilian music, and songwriting, as well as more traditional approaches to jazz performance.

Students are encouraged to find their own musical voices while making connections and collaborating with a vibrant community of creative musicians, and ultimately to transform the world through the power of music. 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.

NEC's Contemporary Improvisation program addresses the unique needs of musicians seeking to move beyond traditional boundaries. The department brings together an extremely diverse group of the world's finest young artists in a setting where they can truly grow as a community of composers, performers, and improvisers. With an emphasis on ear training, technique, conceptual ideas, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a wide range of improvisational traditions, the CI program is uniquely positioned to produce the complete 21st century global musician. Founded in 1972 by Gunther Schuller and Ran Blake, the department is "a thriving hub of musical exploration," (Jeremy Goodwin, Boston Globe).

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