The Eye on Taiwan news staff
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the US representative office in Taipei in the absence of formal ties, will hold a series of concerts that will begin on the coming Friday through Feb 9 to help promote jazz music in Taiwan.
AIT will work with New Taipei City-based Fu-Jen Catholic University for the events to kick off on Friday in Kinmen, a former military fortress of Taiwan on the doorsteps of mainland China.
The Third Annual 2018 Fu-Jen Catholic University Jazz Camp and Kinmen Outreach Program will feature U.S. jazz musicians Angelo Versace, Chris Wabich, Jennifer Ing, Nick Javier, Danny Deysher, and Gene Aitken, who will serve as mentors for local musicians and perform with them at several local concerts, AIT said in a press released on Wednesday.
The Jazz Camp is open to students, music educators, and local musicians. The final concerts in Kinmen and New Taipei are all free of charge and open to the general public, it said.
AIT officers will attend the gala concert in New Taipei City and give remarks to congratulate the participants on their successful completion of the camp, it added.
In partnership with Jazz Education Abroad from the United States, the Taipei Jazz Orchestra, the Office of Kinmen Legislator Yang Cheng-Wu, the Los Angeles College of Music, and several co-sponsoring music companies, AIT will bring U.S. musicians to Kinmen to present master classes and an evening concert, it said.
The jazz camp at Fu-Jen University will provide 30 workshop sessions over five days, starting with auditions and ending with two closing concerts. All jazz camp participants will have the opportunity perform in both small jazz combos and in big bands. Through clinics, master classes, rehearsals, and performances, this camp will present America’s unique jazz legacy to youth from around Taiwan, AIT said.
According to the AIT, the 2018 Fu-Jen Jazz Camp is a special opportunity for Taiwan’s jazz musicians and music educators to improve their musical skills and learn more about jazz, a trademark of American culture that incorporates diverse musical traditions. Space at the camp is limited. Interested students and musicians should contact the Fu-Jen Catholic University Department of Music (Mr. Hung-Yi Liao, Tel: 02-2905 2377, Email: 092029@mail.fju.edu.tw)
The schedule for the program is as follows:
Kinmen
- Kinmen Jazz Night Concert
- featuring Angelo Versace & Chris Wabich Jazz Quintet
- Date: Friday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Venue: Kinmen Military Headquarters of Qing Dynasty
- No. 53, Wuchiang St.Jincheng Township, Kinmen County
- Tickets: Free admission, no tickets required
- Kinmen Jazz Master Class
- Date: Saturday, February 3 at 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Venue: 3F, Jincheng Township Office
- 3F, No. 2, Minshen Road, Jincheng Township, Kinmen County
*Registration is required. Please contact the Music Department of Fu-Jen University.
New Taipei
- Fu-Jen Jazz Camp
- Date: Monday, February 5 – Friday, February 9
- Venue: Music Department, Fu-Jen Catholic University
- No. 510, Zhong-zhen Rd., Xinzhuang Dist. New Taipei
*Registration is required. Please contact the Music Department of Fu-Jen University.
Final Concerts
- Date: Thursday, February 8 at 3:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
- (Combo Concert)
- Friday, February 9 at 2:30 p.m.- 5:30 p.m.
- (Big Band, Strings and Vocal Concert)
- Venue: Fu Jen University Huai-Ren Hall, Art College
- No. 510, Zhong-zhen Rd., Xinzhuang Dist. New Taipei
For more information about the Fu Jen Jazz Camp please visit the Fu Ren University web page: http://www.music.fju.edu.tw/news.php?id=108
Facebook: https://goo.gl/tazjFA