WINNER OF MONK COMPETITION TIGRAN HAMASYAN IN CONCERT AT THE TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Tigran Hamasyan

All About Jazz, PA
Nov 7 2006

The Tribeca Performing Arts Center
Borough of Manhattan Community College
Presents: Jazz In Progress-Monk In Motion – The Next Face In Jazz

Presenting, In Concert, The Winner of The Thelonious Monk
International Jazz Piano Competition

Other concerts include finalists: Aaron Parks – November 27
and Gerald Clayton – December 18

The Tribeca Performing Arts Center, in partnership with the Thelonious
Monk Institute, proudly presents Jazz In Progress-Monk In Motion,
featuring in concert, the top three finalists of the prestigious
Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, now celebrating its
20th anniversary. This year the renowned competition was devoted to
jazz piano, and the three finalists, pianists Aaron Parks (Washington),
Gerald Clayton (born in the Netherlands, currently residing in
California), and Tigran Hamasyan (Armenia, currently residing in
California), were singled out from a strong field of twelve semi-
finalist musicians by the competition’s distinguished panel of judges,
including Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill, Danilo Perez, Renee Rosnes,
Billy Taylor and Randy Weston.

Each of the three concerts of the Jazz In Progress-Monk In
Motion Series will feature one finalist leading their ensemble,
demonstrating the perpetually diverse nature of jazz, and showcasing
three of the plethora of exciting, young musicians making jazz
their life’s work. Tickets are $25 General Admission, $15 Students &
Seniors. To order tickets and for additional information click on
or call the box office at 212 220 1460. The Tribeca
Performing Arts Center is located at 199 Chambers Street, New York,
NY 10007.

Jazz In Progress-Monk In Motion Concert Schedule:

Winner of the 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition:
Tigran Hamasyan, Monday, November 20, 2006 at 7:00 PM: Tigran Hamasyan
was born in Gyumri, Armenia and began playing piano at age 10. He
currently attends the University of Southern California where he is
studying jazz piano. Influenced by Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk,
Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Miles Davis and Bud Powell, Hamasyan began
writing his first piano compositions at a young age. He recently won
first prize at the Monaco Jazz Soloist Competition and has performed
at concerts, competitions, festivals throughout Europe.

Aaron Parks – Monday, November 27, 2006 at 7:00 PM (3rd place
finalist): Aaron Parks was raised in Seattle, Washington and began
playing piano at age 10, learning mostly by ear. He began is career
in jazz at the age of 16 after leaving the University of Washington
to focus more intently on jazz studies at the Manhattan School of
Music in New York. Parks won first place in the 5th American Jazz
Piano Competition and is a Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianist
Association. Currently, he tours with Terence Blanchard and is featured
on Blanchard’s CDs Bounce and Flow.

Gerald Clayton – December 18 at 7:00 PM (2nd place finalist):
Gerald Clayton was born in Utrecht, The Netherlands and was raised
in Los Angeles. He began playing piano at the age of five. Currently,
Clayton is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies at the
University of Southern California. In addition to his studies, Clayton
performs frequently and has played with a host of well-respected
musicians including Benny Green, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Baron, and
Clark Terry. He recently appeared on Back in the Swing of Things with
the Clayton Brothers.

Since 1987, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz has presented the
Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, the most prestigious
jazz competition in the world. Each year, more than $60,000 in
scholarships and prizes are awarded to talented young musicians
and composers. The scholarships help pay tuition for college-level
jazz education studies and provide funds for private, specialized
instruction. The competition focuses on a different instrument every
year and features an outstanding all-star judging panel. Branford
Marsalis, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Dave Brubeck,
Marian McPartland, and Diana Krall have all served as judges at
past competitions.

The Institute has presented competitions for piano, bass, drums, hand
drums, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, vocals and trombone. In September
2006, the competition once again showcased piano, in celebration
of the Institute’s 20th Anniversary, with the semifinals taking
place at the Smithsonian Institution’s Baird Auditorium and the
finals at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. The judging panel
and special guests featured a number of distinguished jazz artists,
including Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill, Quincy Jones, Danilo Perez,
Renee Rosnes, and Billy Taylor.

This year, Quincy Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Billy Dee Williams hosted
the event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Herbie
Hancock served as chairman with Bill Cosby and Billy Dee Williams as
co-chairs. Honorary co-chairs included Madeleine Albright and Alma
and Colin Powell.

The 20th Anniversary Celebration was sponsored by General Motors
and Northrop Grumman. The Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano
Competition was sponsored by G.M.A.C Financial Services. For more
information visit

Located on the campus of the Borough of Manhattan Community College
(a CUNY school), the mission of Tribeca Performing Arts Center is
to provide a professional season of culturally diverse arts programs
of high quality for the Metropolitan New York area, the residential
communities of Lower Manhattan and the college community in which it
is located.

Tribeca PAC maintains two theatres: a 913-seat theatre and a
262-seat theatre. The company offers an extensive 9-month long
season of programming that includes jazz concerts, dance, theatre
and family performances. The company also offers a year long Artist
in Residence program to 8 different artists (4 choreographers and
4 theatre directors/playwrights) and presents their new, original
work every Spring in the annual "Work and Show Festival". Tribeca
PAC also hosts many critically acclaimed events during the season,
including the Tribeca Film Festival in the Spring and Resfest in the
Fall. Please contact: John Malatesta, Marketing Director, Tribeca
Performing Arts Center, (212) 220-1459

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