Transatlantic Rhapsody - Solidarity II

JAZZAAR FESTIVAL 2018
 
Production: Transatlantic Rhapsody - Solidarity II
Artists’ arrival in Switzerland: April 15, 2018
Artists’ Departure: April 23, 2018
Rehearsals (w/ Workshop & Jam Session): April 16 – 19, 2018 
Concerts (w/ sound check): April 21 – Kultur & Kongresshaus Aarau, April 22 in Lugano
 
Producer: Fritz K Renold (Shanti Music Productions)
The rehearsals, workshops and performance may be recorded on video and/or audio formats for archival and commercial purposes.
 
Transatlantic Rhapsody – Project Description
Transatlantic Rhapsody is a compilation of new compositions written by Fritz K Renold, the musical director of the Jazzaar Festival as well as Gil Goldstein which portrays the union and possibility of reunion between cultures on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. This promises an interesting dialog between the world of Jazz, European folk and popular music to profoundly show how unity can very well be found in diversity. The Swiss Youth Jazz Orchestra (SYJO) directed by Renold featuring renowned musicians will present the premier at the Jazzaar Festival.
 
The remarkable SYJO, made up of youth musicians 16 – 26 years of age will be accompanied and mentored on the bandstand by seasoned international artistes through a week of rehearsals, workshops and a jam session in the process leading to the performance of this premiering musical work. The featured guests are Frank Greene (Ltp), Igor Butman (ts), Tom Malone (tb), Gil Goldstein (acc/p), Kabir Sehgal (b) and Michael Baker (d).
 
 
What is Jazzaar Festival?
Jazzaar Festival is an annual cultural event with a focus on youth development. Its cause is inspired by the old school tradition known as ‘learning on the bandstand’ or also what is referred to in the academic circles as ‘informal learning practice’ that used to be the sole educational platform for many a jazz legend of the past as well as the basis for imparting many ethnic music traditions of the world. Jazzaar Festival provides a unique platform (Bandstand Learning with Role Models) for the continuation of this tradition with the advantage of modern facilities. We present professional productions with accomplished artistes alongside their apprentices that are aspiring young talents working together to woo the audiences with top performances. 
 
What started in 1992 by Shanti Music Productions as a music educational experiment continues to prove that working and performing together with master musicians in a professional environment does wonders in inducing creativity in the young and in raising the levels of musicality and proficiency more effectively than in a classroom setting. Since then, this project alone has been responsible for ushering 45% of Switzerland’s young professional musicians, versatile in a wide spectrum of musical genres, into the international and local music scene.
 
Jazzaar Festival is funded by sponsorship and subsidy since 1998 and is supported by the non-profit Jazzaar Association - a small group of volunteers that believe in this form of music education.
 
 
 
Transatlantische Rhapsodie – Projektbeschreibung
 
Transatlantic Rhapsody ist eine Zusammenstellung neuer Kompositionen von Fritz K Renold, dem musikalischen Leiter des Jazzaar Festivals, sowie von Gil Goldstein (CH,USA Bürger), der die Vereinigung und Möglichkeit der Wiedervereinigung der Kulturen auf beiden Seiten des Atlantischen Ozeans darstellt. Die drei Schweizer Komponisten haben sich zum Ziel gesetzt gemeinsam eine Kollektion von neuen Kompositionen zu schreiben und am Jazzaar Festival uraufzuführen. Das Projekt verspricht einen interessanten Dialog zwischen der Welt des Jazz, der europäischen Folklore und der populären Musik, um tiefgreifend zu zeigen, wie sehr Einheit in Vielfalt zu finden ist. Dabei steht keine politische Auseinandersetzung im Vordergrund, sondern eine sachliche nüchterne Darstellung der Funktion der Kultur und deren Protagonisten beidseits des Atlantiks. Das Schweizer Jugendjazzorchester (SYJO) unter der Leitung von Renold mit namhaften Musikern präsentiert die Premiere beim Jazzaar Festival und wird diese via Live Feed in die ganze Welt hinaussenden.
Das bemerkenswerte SYJO, bestehend aus Jugendmusikern im Alter von 16 bis 26 Jahren, wird von erfahrenen internationalen Künstlern während einer Woche der Proben, Workshops und einer Jam-Session begleitet und betreut, die zum Aufführen dieses Premieren-Musiktheaters führen. 
 
Besetzung Swiss Youth Jazz Orchestra 2018 
 
Directed by Fritz K Renold (CH)
 
- Clarinet - Janis Birrer (AG)
- Alto Sax 1 - Mathieu Bitz (AG)
- Alto Sax 2 – Sara El Hachimi doubles on Tenor Sax (SO)
- Tenor Sax – Bill PIerce doubles in Soprano Sax (Russland)
- Tenor Sax - Felix Piringer doubles on Soprano Sax & EWI, Student (AG)
- Bassclarinet - Sofie Schindelholz, Student (AG)
 
- Trumpets – Frank Greene (USA)
- Trumpet – Gergö Szax doubles on Flugelhorn (BS)
- Trumpet - Samir Rachide, Student (SG)
- Trumpet – Lino Hofstetter, Student (AG)
 
- Trombone - Tom Bones Malone (USA)
- Trombone - Sebastian Wey (AG)
- Tuba - Moritz Zäch (AG)
 
- Guitar – Andrin Stettler (BE)
- Piano/Keyboard/Accordion - Gil Goldstein (USA/CH)
- Keyboard - Jeremy Lenoir (LU)
- Electric Bass – Sharon Renold (SO) 
- Upright Bass – Kabir Seghal (USA)
- Drums – Michael Baker (USA)
- Drums II – Cristiano Salgert (FR)