Classical Meets Jazz in US Premiere of Igor Raykhelson's 'Jazz Suite'

Classical Meets Jazz in US Premiere of Igor Raykhelson's 'Jazz Suite'

Crossover Concerto Melds Yuri Bashmet's Moscow Soloists with Igor Butman's Big Band at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater

NEW YORK, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- World-renowned violist Yuri Bashmet and jazz saxophone virtuoso Igor Butman will merge their talents and orchestras at Lincoln Center's Rose Theatre on Wed Feb 22 for the US premiere of composer Igor Raykhelson's "Jazz Suite for Viola, Saxophone, Piano and Orchestra."

The program will feature pieces from the classical repertoire of the Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra and jazz arrangements of Russian classics by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. http://www.jalc.org/

"Yuri Bashmet's artistry has inspired many composers to write for him, myself included," said Igor Raykhelson whose composition "Adagio for Viola and String Orchestra" premiered to critical acclaim at Carnegie Hall in April 2003.

Raykhelson, a New York City resident originally from St. Petersburg, studied jazz and classical piano at Leningrad's Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory. He tours internationally both as jazz and classical pianist in solo and chamber appearances. Collaborations with Mr. Bashmet and Mr. Butman inspired him to compose the "Jazz Suite," a crossover piece combining both musical styles.

"I've had the pleasure of performing with both Yuri and Igor Butman, so to premiere "Jazz Suite" with them in the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center is very exciting," Raykhelson said.

Crossover Concerto featuring "Jazz Suite" premieres at 8 PM, Wed, Feb 22 at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater.

Violist Yuri Bashmet, one of the world's greatest musicians, has appeared with the top orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and London Philharmonic. Moscow Soloists, a chamber ensemble Bashmet founded comprised of young graduates of the Moscow Conservatory, has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, among others.

Igor Butman is Russia's top jazz musician. His performance of Nostalgie at a Kremlin State dinner for Vladimir Putin and Bill Clinton prompted the US President to write in "My Life" that Butman is "my favorite living tenor saxophonist" and to include him on the CD "The Bill Clinton Collection."

Butman opened the 2003-2004 Jazz at Lincoln Center season with Wynton Marsalis in Moscow Nights and has performed and recorded with the world's top jazz musicians including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, Randy Brecker, Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Louis Bellson, Grover Washington Jr., Billy Taylor, Walter Davis Jr., Monty Alexander, Lionel Hampton, Eddie Gomez and Lyle Mays.

Since 1999 Butman's Big Band has toured all over Russia and regularly appears at Moscow's top jazz venue Le Club where Igor is the artistic director and acts as a musical ambassador connecting Russian and US jazz musicians.

Bashmet and Butman will unite with Raykhelson again this June in appearances at the week-long Music on the Mountain Festival held at Mohonk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley. For Festival information email interlinkmusic@yahoo.com

Tickets for Crossover Concerto are available at Lincoln Center box office, CenterCharge 212-721-6500 or http://www.jalc.org

RTVI Television is the informational sponsor of this event.

Source: Impromptu Productions

CONTACT: John Carney of Impromptu Productions, +1-212-477-0472,
jmprmedia@aol.com

Web site: http://www.jalc.org/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Yuri Bashmet, Igor Butman and Igor Raykhelson available for interviews, photos available.

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