Pianist Jeremy Ajani Jordan to Perform March 8

On Saturday, March 8, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital by critically and popularly acclaimed pianist, Jeremy Ajani Jordan. Presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

This will be Jordan’s second time at Scranton as a solo pianist, and he has appeared on two other occasions in trio and quartet performances. According to Cheryl Y. Boga, conductor and director of Performance Music at the University, “Jeremy possesses the rare combination of startling technical prowess and stunning musicality that is riveting for audiences. It is no surprise that his career has taken him to concert venues throughout the world performing music from across genres, ranging from classical and jazz to experimental.”

“A clear technical virtuoso,” “a rare talent,” and “a true Wunderkind,” Chicago-born Jordan burst onto the music scene at age nine playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in a live televised performance. Jordan was born into a musical family where his mother and father were his first instructors. They ensured that his burgeoning talent was nurtured by providing a strong foundation in classical training and also encouraged his study of improvised music and composition. Jordan went on to appear on the acclaimed radio program “From The Top” and “From The Top: Live from Carnegie Hall” performing Liszt. Since then, Jordan has made his solo Carnegie Hall debut performing Chopin, Liszt, Schubert, and Wagner.

After winning the 2006 Steinway Concerto Competition playing the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1, Jordan delivered acclaimed performances with the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra and concerto performances and recordings with the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Following studies at The Juilliard School, Jordan received his undergraduate and graduate degrees on the Van Cliburn and Irene Diamond scholarships there. Acclaimed for his virtuosic deliveries of his Liszt/Horowitz, Wagner, and Saint-Saëns transcriptions, Jordan has also performed to thunderous applause in appearances at the United Nations Arts Council, the American Liszt Society, Concertgebouw, Tokyo Opera City, Prague’s Rudolfinum and Chicago’s Ravinia Festival. He has appeared as a chamber musician in tours throughout North America, Europe, and Japan.

Jordan continues to compose solo piano music, chamber music, orchestral music and electronic music. His compositions have debuted on National Public Radio and have received world premieres at Seattle’s Emerald City Music Festival, New York’s National Sawdust and Ireland’s Sounds From a Safe Harbour. His most recent album For Flint featured several original jazz compositions and raised money to purchase clean water for families affected by the Flint Water Crisis.

For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Jordan, visit jeremyajanijordan.com.