The tenth edition of the Liceu Jazz Masterclasses & Concerts is here!

From October to January, Jazz will be the main protagonist at Fundación Liceu Conservatory!

Within the framework of the collaboration that the Liceu Conservatory Foundation has maintained for 10 years with the Voll-Damm Festival de Jazz de Barcelona, ​​and under the patronage of the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation, this institution has become one more year of the main centers of Jazz at an international level, hosting part of the 53rd edition of this festival, thus becoming a reference venue: concerts and masterclasses to live Jazz intensely with the best artists.

The program allows to learn directly artists of international appeal thanks to the masterclasses series; up to 20 have been scheduled in this anniversary edition where we will enjoy the visit of Maria Schneider, Chucho Valdés, Richard Bona, Kenny Garrett, Jeff Ballard, Avishai Cohen, Jakob Bro, Chris Potter, Vijay Iyer or Tomatito, among others.

This year we will host up to 27 concerts, highlighting, among others, those offered by Melissa Aldana Quartet, Vijay Iyer Trio, Avishai Cohen Big Vicious, The Charlie Parker Legacy Band, The Trio with Ted Nash, Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison or the two by Joan Chamorro in the Portrait of an Artist dedicated to him by the Festival. All together, they make up an impressive line-up that, continuing the trend of recent years, goes far beyond the limits of the jazz genre: the presence of flamenco figures such as Tomatito, Dorantes, Rafael Riqueni and the guitar evening dedicated to Solera Flamenca, all them amount to the diverse nature of this cycle where everyone can find the proposal closest to their tastes.

This year the “Carta Blanca” of the Liceu Conservatory will present nine concerts led by Conservatory teachers. Tobegin with, those led by the teachers of the Centro Superior Carme Canela (Voice), Óscar Latorre (Trumpet), and Gonzalo del Val (Drums), Head of the Department for Jazz and Modern Music. Carme Canela will present her new album Celebrating La Fusa with guitarist Jurandir Santana. Óscar Latorre will present his CD A Pathway to Become, and Gonzalo del Val will present his award-winning Cancionero CD along with professors Marco Mezquida and David Mengual, and the special collaboration of trumpeter Benet Palet. On the other hand, the four concerts of the stable formations of the Center are added: Liceu Gran Ensemble, Liceu Big Band, Liceu Blam Collective and Liceu Jazz Grup, with which, throughout this edition of the Liceu Jazz, more than 70 students of the Centro Superior Liceu will have the opportunity to share the bill with great musicians presenting innovative projects to the Festival’s official programming. The Liceu Gran Ensemble, under the direction of Toni Vaquer, will perform alongside drummer Jeff Ballard. The Liceu Big Band, under the direction of Sergi Vergés, will feature the special collaboration of Professor Gabriel Amargant. Professors Bill McHenry and Marc Miralta will perform with the Liceu Jazz Grup. And finally, the Liceu Blam Collective, a new formation directed by Michael League, will enjoy the participation of Professor Alex Dee.

It is worth highlighting, within the White Letter of the Liceu Conservatory, the concert of Kevin Díaz, Extraordinary Prize in the modality of Jazz and Modern Music Interpretation of the Liceu Conservatory 2020-2021.