BOSTON, MA, April 1, 2005 — An all-star Berklee faculty woodwind quintet will kick off "Bach to Bop and Back," a innovative new concert series that combines the most compelling elements of classical and jazz, Monday, April 11, at 8 p.m., at St. Clements's Shrine, 1105 Boylston St., Boston. The concert will feature guest trumpeter Professor Greg Hopkins on the world premiere of his "Variations for Trumpet and Woodwind Quintet," as well as on Professor Michael Weinstein's "In the Steps of the Giant." The show is free and open to the public.

Press: to inquire about photo availability and usage, please e-mail us. From the left: Michael Weinstein, Margaret Phillips, Barbara LaFitte, Peter Cokkinias, Wendy Rolfe

The quintet — Wendy Rolfe, flute; Barbara LaFitte, oboe; Peter Cokkinias, clarinet; Margaret Phillips, bassoon; and Michael Weinstein, French horn — includes four players with classical conservatory degrees. The program will feature a set of original music that melds the complex musical structures of contemporary classical music with the wide-open improvisational passages of jazz. Weinstein's composition, "In the Steps of the Giant," is inspired by jazz great John Coltrane's "Giant Steps." Other featured composers include Hollywood legends Lalo Schifrin and Alec Wilder. The project is sponsored by Berklee's Professional Performance Division.

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music. For over half a century, the college has evolved constantly to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing over 70 countries, and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.

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Nick Balkin
Office of Public Information
(617) 747-2247
nbalkin@berklee.edu