Music Composer Jon Jang Appointed as Artist-in-Residence at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music
Jon Jang Takes Residency at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music
Jon Jang, a renowned pianist and composer, is set to take residence at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music from January 16-20. Known for his unique blend of jazz and Chinese musical traditions, Jang is a pioneer in cross-cultural collaboration and a powerful voice in the Asian American cultural narrative.
During his residency, Jang will perform with his quintet, the Jon Jangtet, and give a solo piano and storytelling performance at the Fowler Museum at UCLA. On January 17, the Jon Jangtet will perform a concert featuring music inspired by the black continuum of resistance. The program will showcase works that feature Jang's distinctive American-born Chinese treatment of Chinese music.
On January 16, Jang will reunite with writer-director Renee Tajima-Peña for a screening and conversation about the hybrid cultural influences of the film "My America (or honk if you love Buddha)". Ethnomusicologist Kim Nguyen Tran will participate in this event. Following the screening, Jang will join Renee Tajima-Peña for another conversation.
On January 20, Jang will give a solo piano performance and storytelling at the Fowler Museum titled "How I Got into Music and How Music Got into Me". Saxophonist Hitomi Oba will join Jang in the second half of the January 20 program.
Jang's composition, "The Chinese American Symphony," is the first symphonic work by an American-born Chinese composer to honour Chinese American history. His other notable works include "Tiananmen!"; "Reparations Now! Concerto for Taiko"; and "When Sorrow Turns to Joy - Songlines: The Spiritual Tributary of Paul Robeson and Mei Lanfang."
Jang is a founding member of Asian Improv aRts, an organization that produces, presents, and documents artistic works representing the Asian American experience. His residency at UCLA underscores his role as a leading artist and educator fostering diversity in music and educating future generations about Chinese American narratives through music.
The residency is co-presented by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, the UCLA Department of Asian American Studies, Center for EthnoCommunications, Friends of Jazz at UCLA, and the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. All programs during Jang's residency are open to the public. For more details, please refer to individual event listings or the school of music calendar.
Jang's music is often compared to the 'Third Stream' composers who combined jazz and classical music, making him a significant figure in the jazz community and beyond. His residency at UCLA promises to be a celebration of his unique musical style and contributions to the world of music.
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