A Musical Celebration of Composer, Conductor, Author and Multi-Instrumentalist
Thursday, November 11, 2010, at 7:30 PM
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (95th Street), NYC
David Amram: The First 80 Years will be a spectacular historic celebration of a true American original whom the Washington Post has described as “one of the most versatile and skilled musicians America has ever produced.” Presented by Jazz Forum Arts, the concert will take place on Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 7:30 pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, in Manhattan.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Clearwater
as well as the Woody Guthrie Foundation.
The star-studded salute will include filmed 80th birthday wishes from Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Willie Nelson, members of the N.Y. Philharmonic, and friends and colleagues from around the country. As well as appearances and performances by Amram’s friends from the world of theatre, film and music, including actors Keir Dullea (2001: A Space Odyssey), Josh White Jr., Patience Higgens, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, the Amram Family Band, Kevin Twigg, John De Witt, Morley and current members and alumni of Amram’s quartets from the past 40 years as well as other surprise guests.
Tickets can be purchased at the Symphony Space Box Office, 212.864.5400, or at www.symphonyspace.org
For information about Jazz Forum Arts, visit www.jazzforumarts.org
During his illustrious career, David Amram has composed more than 100 orchestral and chamber music works; numerous scores for Broadway theater and film; two operas, and the score for the landmark 1959 documentary Pull My Daisy, narrated by novelist Jack Kerouac. He is also the author of three books, published by Paradigm Publishers. A pioneer player of jazz French horn, he is also a virtuoso on piano, numerous flutes and whistles, percussion, and dozens of folkloric instruments from 25 countries, in addition to being a renowned improvisational lyricist.
Amram has collaborated with Langston Hughes, Dizzy Gillespie, Dustin Hoffman, Johnny Depp, Willie Nelson, Thelonious Monk, Odetta, Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller, Charles Mingus, Lionel Hampton, Tito Puente and Leonard Bernstein, who chose him as The New York Philharmonic’s first composer-in-residence in 1966. One of Amram’s most recent works, Giants of the Night, a flute concerto, was commissioned and premiered by Sir James Galway. Today, as he has for over 50 years, Amram continues to compose music while traveling the world as a conductor, soloist, bandleader, visiting scholar, and narrator in five languages. He celebrates his 80th birthday on November 17th. Additional information is available at www.davidamram.com
