Internationally acclaimed jazz artist Emmet Cohen returns for spring residency at the University of Indianapolis
UPDATE: Per recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), these events have been canceled. Visit events.uindy.edu for updates.
Emmet Cohen, the 2019 American Pianists Awards winner and recipient of the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz, returns to the University of Indianapolis for a masterclass and performance in March following a stunning fall debut. Cohen serves as the University of Indianapolis artist-in-residence in partnership with the Indianapolis-based American Pianists Association. Cohen’s residency through spring 2021 includes providing lessons to students, engaging with faculty, presenting masterclasses and hosting performances.
Cohen will perform with the UIndy Jazz Ensemble at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 20, at the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center. The first half of the evening is devoted to Cohen as solo pianist. He teams with the UIndy Jazz Ensemble to conclude the concert. Admission is free.
On March 19, Cohen will work with University of Indianapolis Department of Music students for a jazz improvisation masterclass. The public is invited to this exciting exchange of musical ideas and unique behind-the-scenes look at the rehearsal process. The masterclass will be held from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center.
“The University of Indianapolis community has welcomed me with open arms, and it has been a true joy to integrate into their music program. The students are all hard-working, beautiful human beings, and continue to inspire me musically and otherwise. I look forward to returning to Indianapolis and can’t wait to continue the work we began last semester,” Cohen said.
Learn more at events.uindy.edu.
About Emmet Cohen
Multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen is one of his generation’s pivotal figures in music and the related arts. Downbeat praised the “nimble touch, measured stride and warm harmonic vocabulary” he employs to communicate with other musicians and audiences at what he terms “the deepest level of humanity and individuality.” Leader of the Emmet Cohen Trio and creator of the Masters Legacy Series, Cohen is an internationally acclaimed jazz artist and dedicated music educator.
Emmet Cohen is the winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association, and Artist-in-Residence at the University of Indianapolis. Cohen was a finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. He has appeared in the Newport, Monterey, Jerusalem and North Sea jazz festivals, among others, and at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall and Washington’s Kennedy Center. Cohen has headlined at the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Jazz Standard and Jazzhaus Montmartre. He is Hammond B-3 organist-in-residence at Harlem’s SMOKE jazz club.
A Suzuki piano student at age three, Cohen holds jazz piano degrees from the Manhattan School of Music (M.M.) and the University of Miami (B.M.). Emmet Cohen has performed, recorded or collaborated with Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Tootie Heath, Houston Person, Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Billy Hart, Herlin Riley, Lea DeLaria and Bill T. Jones.
About the American Pianists Association
The American Pianists Association has been supporting aspiring young artists for over 40 years and has been based in Indianapolis since 1982. It has a professional staff of seven, headed by Dr. Joel M. Harrison. The American Pianists Awards, held for both classical and jazz artists, offer significant opportunities for American pianists, ages 18-30, to advance their careers. Each winner receives a two-year fellowship, valued at over $100,000 including cash awards, fees, publicity and recording opportunities. All American Pianists Awards events are produced as public recitals and feature the finalists in a variety of settings. The organization greatly values the individual artistic sensibilities of each pianist, nurtures such individuality and does not impose any repertoire requirements during the competitions other than those necessary for the different genres. American Pianists Association strives to be the bridge between professional training and a full-fledged professional career. www.americanpianists.org.
About the University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis, founded in 1902, is a private university located just a few minutes from downtown Indianapolis. The University is ranked among the top National Universities by U.S. News and World Report, with a diverse enrollment of nearly 6,000 undergraduate, graduate and continuing education students. The University offers a wide variety of study areas, including 100+ undergraduate degrees, more than 40 master’s degree programs and five doctoral programs. More occupational therapists, physical therapists and clinical psychologists graduate from the University each year than any other state institution. With strong programs in engineering, business, and education, the University of Indianapolis impacts its community by living its motto, “Education for Service.” uindy.edu.