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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T150000
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SUMMARY:Stephanie Chou Jazz Ensemble
DESCRIPTION:FoM 2026 / 40th ANNIVERSARY \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSunday\, June 21\, 2026 at 3pm First Presbyterian Church\, 96 Main Street\, Stamford\, NY \n\n\n\nSuggested donation: $15 adults\, $10 students and seniors\, free for ages 13 and under \nNo reservations required. \nStephanie Chou – voice\, alto saxophone\, compositions\nAndy Lin – erhu\, viola\nHyuna Park – piano\nMatt Aronoff – bass\nRonen Itzik – drums\n“A stunning work that…shines light on a dark chapter of history.”  – DownBeat  \n“One of New York’s most socially relevant and ambitious jazz talents” – New York Music Daily \n“A seamless blend of styles…creative and mesmerizing throughout\, as it traverses sounds both old and new….Chou’s performance never wavers\, and is a delight throughout.” – Broadway World   \n“Stephanie Chou’s AAPI Heritage Month Showcase Show Dazzles…Her body of work is far more than its diverse inspirations. Chou as an artist is wholly original\, forging a distinct and innovative style…” – Broadway World   \nStephanie Chou is a composer\, saxophonist\, and singer based in New York City. She blends Chinese musical influences with Western jazz and pop to create a unique and vibrant musical world. Stephanie’s music creates immediate cross-cultural connections and focuses on connecting with the audience. \nChou has received grants and commissions from: Jerome Foundation\, American Composers Forum\, Chamber Music America\, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council\, New Music USA\, Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art\, OPERA America\, New York State Council on the Arts\, Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation\, the MAP Fund\, Puffin Foundation\, and more. Steph was a 2024 American Music Abroad US State Department tour finalist\, 2021 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship finalist\, and a finalist in the iSING! 2020 Composition Competition (China). \nAs an educator\, Stephanie has presented many clinics and masterclasses on blending culture/music\, and on the intersections of math and music at universities and schools throughout North America. She has also performed as a guest artist for executive education workshops on leadership/jazz with the Columbia University Business School. Stephanie holds a BA in Mathematics from Columbia University. She completed graduate studies in Music Composition at the City College of New York. She studied classical piano for 15 years\, started playing saxophone at age 10\, and singing at age 24. \n  \nTaiwanese-American violist and erhuist (Chinese violin)\, Dr. Andy Lin\, is recognized as one of the most promising and active performers who specialized in both western and eastern instruments. Praised by The New York Times “Taiwanese-born violist Andy Lin… is also a virtuoso on the erhu\, and he gave a brilliant performance.” Andy is the artistic director and co-founder of the New Asia Chamber Music Society. His recent appearances have included an erhu solo collaboration with world renowned pianist Lang Lang and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Lang Lang’s “The Disney Book” live in concert at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City\, and a Triple Concerto by Paquito D’Rivera at the Festival PAAX GNP in Mexico. \n  \nAn award-winning jazz pianist\, Hyuna Park’s musical universe is both deeply connected to New York and its vibrant jazz tradition while at the same time embracing her Korean and classical roots. She was the 2018 winner of the International Women in Jazz (IWJ) festival as well as the Jimmy Heath Award. She has graced the stage with Grammy award-winners such as Linda Oh\, Luis Bonilla\, Michael Mossman and Vincent Herring and performed at notable venues like the Kennedy Center and the French Embassy in Washington D.C.\, the Dizzy Gillespie Auditorium\, and at the UN as well as a number of Embassies and Cultural Centers throughout NYC.Hyuna formed a trio in 2018 with country/folk bassist Myles Sloniker and funk drummer Peter Traunmueller as a non-traditional band that infuses various styles and musical elements into their core jazz repertoire. Hyuna and her band are regulars at many of the more prestigious jazz venues in New York City such as Birdland\, Joe’s Pub\, Zinc bar\, Iridium\, and The Django. \n  \nBassist and composer Matt Aronoff grew up in Northern New Jersey and was awarded a scholarship to Carnegie Mellon University\, where he studied with his two greatest influences\, Anthony Bianco and Eric Kloss. After briefly living in Spain\, where he placed third in the Navarra Symphony Orchestra\, he returned to the US and was given a scholarship to attend the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. After graduating with a Masters in Music from Manhattan School of Music\, he spent a year touring with GRAMMY-winning artist Luciana Souza. Since that time he has been deeply involved in the New York music scene\, often praised for his “Musicianship at the highest level\, paired with an incredibly emotional connection with the crowd” (Jazz Advocate). He has had the pleasure of touring or recording with musicians including Fred Hersch\, Kenny Werner\, Peter Eldridge\, Banda Magda\, Sara Gazarek\, Laila Biali\, The New York Voices\, Zach Brock (Snarky Puppy)\, Bob Lanzetti (Snarky Puppy)\, Matt Wilson\, Gregg Belisle-Chi\, and Anat Cohen\, as well as performers such as Alan Cumming\, Sandra Bernhard\, and Ana Gasteyer. Well-known for being “greatly sensitive\, with huge ears and a feel for accompaniment” (All About Jazz)\, Matt is a heavily sought-after acoustic and electric bassist in NY. He also recently held the bass chair for Broadway’s newest revival of West Side Story (2020) and Cabaret (2024)\, and The Roundabout Theatre’s revival of Merrily We Roll Along (2019). “Morning Song”\, his first album as a bandleader\, was named one of the best albums of 2022 by DownBeat. \n\nWhen he isn’t on the road\, he is also currently a Teaching Artist through Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute. Through this program he has had the opportunity to play\, compose music\, and perform with people in neglected communities such as hospitals\, prisons\, detention centers\, and homeless shelters. Without a doubt\, these concerts\, recordings\, and collaborations have been some of the most moving musical experiences of his life.  \n\n\n\n\nA native of Jerusalem\, Israel\, drummer Ronen Itzik relocated to the United States in late 2000. After completing degrees at Berklee College of Music and Florida State University\, he established a reputation as an in-demand drummer and sought-after recording artist in New York City. He has incorporated his unique background and knowledge of diverse musical styles into performances at venues such as the Village Vanguard\, Carnegie Hall\, Lincoln Center\, Blue Note and Bimhuis. His numerous international appearances include jazz festivals in Israel\, Germany\, Korea\, Spain\, Belgium\, Colombia\, Canada and Ukraine. He has performed and recorded with jazz greats Lee Konitz\, Gary Burton\, Kenny Werner\, Roy Hargrove\, Marcus Roberts\, and Arnie Lawrence among many others. Ronen was an adjunct professor at Penn State University. \n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n \n2026 Friends of Music Schedule\n\nApril 19 – Invoke Multi-string Ensemble \nMay 17 – Hermitage Trio \nJune 21 – Ivalas Quartet \nJuly 19 – Stephanie Chou Jazz Ensemble \nAugust 16 – Gocha Abuladze\, baritone & piano \nSeptember 27 – Pegasus: The Orchestra \nOctober 18 – Sophia Stoyanovich\, violin & Derek Wang\, piano \nNovember 15 – Shelest Piano Duo \nDecember 6 – Cerus (Saxophone) Quartet
URL:https://friendsmusic.org/event/chou-jazz-ensemble/
LOCATION:First Presbyterian Church\, 96 Main Street\, Stamford\, NY\, 12167\, United States
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