Celebratory concert honors James Newton on his 65th birthday milestone
In a celebration of a remarkable career spanning over three decades, renowned jazz flutist and composer James Newton will be marking his 65th year with a special concert at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Entitled "Amazing Grace: James Newton at 65", the event is set to take place on Sunday, April 22, at 6 p.m. in Schoenberg Hall.
The concert program draws from Newton's extensive touring and composing experiences, which have seen him perform in various corners of the globe, including Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. This international exposure has radically sculpted his approach to composition, resulting in a musical language that connects diverse influences, such as Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, J. S. Bach, and Olivier Messiaen, among others.
Newton's desire to connect seemingly disparate languages has intensified as his composing developed, leading to a body of work that spans various music genres, including chamber, symphonic, jazz, world, electronic, ballet, and modern dance. To date, he has written over 300 compositions, a testament to his prolific creativity.
The concert will open with "The King's Way," dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr., and traverse through time to 2016 with the world premiere of "Glimpses of the Garden of Eden" for horn solo and chamber orchestra. Another world premiere at the concert is "The Sixth Seal" for solo piano, taken from Newton's 2010 composition, "Revelation Diptych," exploring spiritual commitment in confrontation with terrible darkness.
James Newton is not only an award-winning composer but also a distinguished professor at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music. His contributions to the school, particularly in the development of the new global jazz studies program, have been recognised by Judith Smith, dean of the school.
The concert will feature not only Newton but also a stellar lineup of performers. Soprano Holly Sedillos, Grammy Award-winning UCLA pianist Gloria Cheng, bassist Eric Shetzen, horn soloist Dylan Skye Hart, and the Lyris Quartet will also take the stage. The Southeast Symphony, the longest continuously performing primarily African-American orchestra in the world, will perform at the concert, conducted by Anthony Parnther.
Tickets for the concert are free, making it an accessible opportunity for music lovers to witness this extraordinary musical event. James Newton, a "musician's Renaissance man," promises a concert that will capture the spirit of his generosity as a teacher, composer, and performer. For more program information and to RSVP, please visit the school of music calendar.
Read also:
- Today's most impactful photographic moments
- Support for Eric Adams in The Post's Letters to the Editor on August 13, 2025
- Roosting Shark and Rambunctious Red Squirrels: Unconventional House Rental in Yorkshire Involving Aquatic Marvel, Squirrely Mayhem, and Mystical Planning Regulations
- Legal Dispute Dismissed with Humor: Supreme Court Laughs off Another Civil Matter Mislabeled as Criminal Prosecution
