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Pianist, Composer and
“Steinway Artist,” Michael Jefry Stevens performs extensively in
Europe, Latin America and North America. He has composed over 340 works for
both large and small ensembles. An active band-leader for over 30 years,
his current working musical ensembles include the "Conference Call
Quartet," the "Fonda/Stevens Group," the Hungarian "Eastern
Boundary Quartet," German vocalist Nicole Metzger’s "New York
Connection”, his collaboration with New Orleans horn man, Brian “Breeze”
Cayolle and “the Generations Quartet” featuring saxophonist Oliver Lake. Michael
has released over 80 cds featuring his own music and has performed and/or
recorded extensively with many of the top names in Jazz, including Dave
Liebman, Dave Douglas, Leo Smith, Matt Wilson, Mark Feldman, Pheeroan AkLaff,
Charles Moffett Sr. and many others. He was the “Margaret Lee Crofts
Fellow” for 2000-2001 at the MacDowell Colony, was a Centrum Arts composer
fellow (2004) and is currently on the Virginia Museum of Fine Art’s Touring
Artist Roster. Mr. Stevens was artist in residence for at EMU
Conservatory in La Plata, Argentina between 2005-2010, and has taught at
the Royal Academy of Music in Denmark, Sibelius Academy in Finland, Centro
Nacional de las Arte in Mexico, Landegg Academy in
Switzerland, University of Michigan, Indiana University, Middle Tennessee
State University, Arizona State University, SUNY at New Paltz, , University of
Iowa, University of Memphis, and many other educational institutions in Europe,
Latin America and North America. He received his Masters
Degree in Music Composition and Jazz Performance from Queens College in 1993
where he studied with Henry Weinberg, Drora Pershing, Sol Berkowitz and Jimmy
Heath. He currently resides in Black
Mountain, NC.
Arranger Ryan Middagh is one of the up and coming composers and arrangers in the jazz scene today. His music has been performed around the world, receiving commissions from colleges and high schools in both jazz ensemble and wind ensemble writing. He received a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Northern Iowa before pursuing graduate studies at Middle Tennessee State University. Residing in Nashville, Ryan is also active as a saxophonist, leading his own octet and playing as a sideman.
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