These two artists will perform together on Friday, April 7, 2017, 7:30 p.m., Hudson Hall, Rogers Music Center
James Walker, flutist
Few flutists in history have made such indelible marks in so many musical circles. From jazz to pop to classical (Orchestra, chamber & solo) to television to film to the concert hall to his teaching studio, Jim is grateful for the variety his professional life has provided.
In 1969 Jim was named Associate Principal Flute in the Pittsburgh Symphony after a stint playing in the US Military Academy Band at West Point. In 1977 won the Principal Flute position in the Los Angeles Philharmonic. After seven successful seasons of performing, recording, and touring with the Los Angeles Philharmonic—during which time the New York Philharmonic briefly borrowed him as Principal Flute for their 1982 South American tour. In 1985 Jim left the orchestra, focusing the world of jazz, studio recording and teaching.
In 1980 he organized his jazz quartet Free Flight, playing jazz-classical fusion (4 appearances on The Tonight Show and 16 recordings). In 1990 Jean-Pierre Rampal’s Biography listed “Jimmy” as his “favorite jazz flute player”. In the 1990’s, Jim was a first-call studio flutist for 25 years where and his bold, expressive playing can be heard on hundreds of soundtracks. Along the way concert collaborations with everyone from John Williams and Paul McCartney—“the thrill of a lifetime,”—to Leonard Bernstein, James Galway, and the LA Guitar Quartet.
He is professor of Flute, Chamber Music and Music Technology at The Colburn Conservatory of Music, and Professor of Practice/Coordinator of Flute Studies at The USC Thornton School of Music where has was awarded the Mellon Mentoring Award and The Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. His summer masterclass, Beyond The Masterclass is now in its ninth year. He has been a faculty member of the Music Academy of the West since 2013. Jim has taught hundreds of flutists, many of them going on to successful orchestral and teaching careers, holding Principal Flute chairs in major symphonies around the world.
jimwalkerflute.com
Bryan Pezzone, pianist
Bryan Pezzone is the consummate crossover pianist of his generation. He has excelled in classical, contemporary, jazz, and experimental genres and is known for both his versatility and virtuosity as a performing artist, improviser and composer. He has performed with many major symphony orchestra associations, has toured widely with the jazz group Free Flight, and is known in the Los Angeles area as one of the primary free-lance pianists for film and television soundtrack recording, contemporary music premieres, and chamber music accompanying As a soloist, Bryan has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Pasadena Pops, Santa Monica Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute Orchestra, United States International University Orchestra, U.C. Irvine Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonic and the Pacific Symphony. He has also been invited to perform solo keyboard concerts that blend traditional concert repertoire, improvisations and original works using the Yamaha Midi Grand by Willamette University for it's Distinguished Artist Series, the University of Miami, Rice University and in many Southern California appearances including the California Institute of the Arts where he was on the piano faculty from 1987-2000 and has created their multi-focused keyboard program.
In addition, Bryan has been the principal pianist with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra from its inception in 1991 through 1999, has received on-screen credit for his performance on the soundtrack of "The Game" (with Michael Douglas), The Bucket List, The Kite Runner, Lars and the Real Girl, Flipped, City By the Sea and has been the pianist on virtually all of the cartoons released by Warner Brothers and Disney (Animaniacs,Pinky and the Brain,Goof Troop, Bonkers) from 1990-2002.