Twin Cities Concert Association

Laurel Zucker, flute

Laurel Zucker is described by Gramophone Magazine 2003 “as polished and gratifying as Rampal and Galway. Zucker’s interpretations are splendid all round. Her tone is airy and sweet, her virtuosity graceful.” In the same year Gramophone “strongly recommended” the Complete Telemann Fantasies for Flute and The Complete J.S. Bach Flute Sonatas on Cantilena Records describing her performances as “intelligent, naturally phrased and highly musical with a rich sound beyond reproach.” In the August 2003 book Inspirational Stories from the World’s Best Flute Players Laurel Zucker is featured along with James Galway, Herbie Mann, Ian Andersen, and Julius Baker. Fanfare Magazine refers to Ms. Zucker “as a forceful advocate for 20th century music,” and when she was awarded the Aaron Copland Fund for Music from the American Music Center to record the 1998 Take a Walk on the Wilder Side CD, Fanfare Magazine stated “this disc fills an important niche in American Music as well as flute literature.” With 33 CD releases available on Cantilena Records, Ms. Zucker can be heard regularly on worldwide classical radio stations. She has performed many times in Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Mondavi Center, etc. As a concerto soloist she has been featured with the American Symphony Orch., Erkel Chamber Orch. of Budapest, The Orch. of NY The Gold Country Orch., Merced Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, The Arlington Symph. Orch., and toured with the Sumara Orch. of Russia. As an active chamber artist she has performed with the Marlboro Festival and Tour, Harvard Chamber Players, Music Fest of Arizona, Music in the Mountains, UC Davis Chamber Players, and Chamber Music Alive!

As an active performer and supporter of the flute community, Ms. Zucker has been a guest performer/teacher at the New York Flute Club, The Portland Flute Society, The Houston Flute Society, LA Flute Club, Dallas Flute Festival, North Carolina School of the Arts and the National Flute Association Convention. In 2000 The Year of the Rome Aureole Jubilee (hosted by the City of Rome and the Pope) three of Ms. Zucker’s Cantilena Records CDs (Serenades; Music of Guiliani for Flute and Guitar; Mozart Flute Quartets CDs) were played non-stop for six months throughout the largest Convention Center of Rome, Italy and were also featured in a documentary created at UCLA on the Santa Maria Maggiora Chapel of Rome.

In 2006 Ms. Zucker received THE BEST CLASSICAL SOLO INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2006 from The Just Plain Folks Awards. As Professor of Flute at California State University, Sacramento since 1988, Ms. Zucker received the 1998 President’s Award for Creative and Scholarly Research, 1998 and 2000 Creative Research Awards, and 1989 Professional Promise Award. In 1978 she won Artists International Competition and gave her Carnegie Recital Hall Debut. Her first performances in Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center were at the age of 16 performing 1st flute in the Alexander Schneider’s Orchestra. Ms. Zucker graduated from Juilliard where she studied with Samuel Baron for 3 years; with Paula Robison for two years at New England Conservatory of Music; and privately with Marcel Moyse and Julius Baker. Ms. Zucker holds a Masters in Music Composition from New York University. Her compositions are published by Lyra International and Bourne Music Company and are recorded on Cantilena Records.

Visit Laurel Zucker’s website

Joe Gilman, piano

Dr. Joe Gilman is a full-time professor at American River College. He has received bachelor’s degrees in piano and jazz studies at Indiana University, a master’s degree in jazz and the contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music, and a doctoral degree in education from the University of Sarasota. Joe has performed professionally with Eddie Harris, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Richie Cole, George Duke, Chris Botti and Slide Hampton, and has recorded with Joe Henderson and Jeff Watts. Joe recently won the 2004 Great American Jazz Piano Competition in Jacksonville, Florida and has twice been an International Jazz Ambassador through the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and USIA, traveling to West Africa in 1999 and East and Southern Africa in 2000. He is often heard locally on Capital Jazz Project, KXJZ FM.

Visit Joe Gilman’s website

Matt Robinson, Jazz Bass

Matt Robinson has been a member of the Jazz Studies faculty at Sacramento State University since the fall of 2003. In that time, he has taught Jazz Combos, Applied Jazz Bass, and Jazz Improvisation. Matt earned an M.M. degree in double bass performance from Sac State in 2003. While earning his graduate degree at Sac State, Matt served as a graduate assistant to the jazz studies department, acting as director of jazz combos and assistant director of jazz lab bands. Matt has been active as an acoustic and electric bassist all over California and the Pacific Northwest since 1993. He currently resides in Sacramento, where he frequently works with many of the area’s finest musicians in several different genres including Modern Jazz, Classic Jazz, Latin Jazz, Chamber Music, Orchestral, and Funk. Matt has also shared the stage with well-known visiting musicians including Art Lande, John Faddis, Bob Mintzer, Ingrid Jensen, and Bobby Shew.

To his students, he emphasizes the importance of tune memorization, transposition, transcription, tone production, development of analytical skills, development and application of general musicianship skills, rhythmic solidarity, improvisation, and organized, methodical listening to influential jazz recordings.

Michael Bayard, percussionist

World-renowned percussionist, recording artist, and educator Michael Bayard is a native of Flushing, Queens, New York, where at age 12 he began his percussion career by practicing diligently on a rubber drum pad in his basement. He continued his musical studies at the Juilliard School, where he was accepted on full scholarship at age 15. One year later, he performed his Carnegie Hall debut on solo percussion with the New York Youth Symphony.

At age 18, Mr. Bayard was admitted to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, also on full scholarship. During his studies at Curtis, Mr. Bayard performed under the batons of Eugene Ormandy, Leonard Bernstein, Klaus Tennstedt, Claudio Abbado, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, and Leonard Slatkin.

Two weeks after graduating Curtis from a class of sixteen, Mr. Bayard headed west, appointed to the position of principal percussionist with the Sacramento Symphony, a post he held for 17 years—from 1980 to 1997. During this time period, Mr. Bayard also wrote deeply compelling musical compositions for percussion ensemble and dance, exploring the depths of human emotion and existence.

In addition to performing over 2000 classical and contemporary music concerts over the years, Mr. Bayard has performed on percussion and drum set with many legendary popular musicians - including Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, Tony Bennett, and the late Henry Mancini, Mel Torme, Ray Charles, and Frank Sinatra.

In 1994, Michael launched Rhythm Magic!, his finest work yet. This one-of-a-kind, boldly imaginative percussion program&emdash;which has been finely tuned and honed over 12 years—has captivated and inspired students and adults throughout America. Using music and rhythm in an interactive and participatory process, Rhythm Magic! builds self-esteem and confidence, and fosters creative expression and imagination. In schools, it integrates math, science, literacy, social studies and multicultural appreciation with music. And the Rhythm Magic! corporate program is the key to teamwork and harmony in the workplace.

In 1999, Michael launched his label, Rhythm Magic Records, with the release of “Dream Walker: A Journey Through Time” - a powerful original composition for four percussionists that takes the listener from the dawn of time, through the Middle Ages, to the 20th Century, the Apocalypse and a “New Beginning.” This provocative CD is available through Amazon.com. Mr. Bayard’s complete discography will be available soon at michaelbayard.com.

In his personal time, Michael collaborates with a number of fascinating artists. Recently he has combined talents with anthropologist and evolutionary biologist Hank Wesselman, who is the author of “The Journey to the Sacred Garden,” as well as the critically-acclaimed Trilogy-“Spiritwalker,” “Medicinemaker,” and “Visionseeker.” Michael joined Hank in a live performance that evolved to a journey of self-discovery and healing.

Visit Michael Bayard’s Rhythm Magic! website