Category: Update

June Update

Greetings!

I just returned from a trip that included my first European gig. I was recently in Bern, Switzerland from May 12-19, where I performed at the Bern Jazz Festival with the Filip Novosel Quartet. We had a great time and audiences were very enthusiastic! Recordings can be found here. While I was visiting my family in Austria, I also participated in the 2013 Marianne Mendt Jazznachwuchs Wettbewerb, with results coming soon.

This summer, I am back in the Twin Cities, where I am working as a rehearsal pianist for the St. Anthony Community Theatre. I will also be performing at the Artists’ Quarter on July 17 at 9pm with Ted Olsen and Pete Hennig. You can find the recordings from our last gig (March 29 at Jazz Central) in the sidebar.

Fall Update

Greetings from New York!

I’ve been pretty busy this semester, but I finally found a brief moment to post an update. First, I wanted to let you know about a couple of performances I have coming up. The first is on Sunday, December 2 at 2:00 at the Secret Theatre in Queens. A composition of mine was selected for an honorable mention in the MuSE Young Composers’ Competition. It will be performed by the MuSE String Quartet at the awards concert.

The second concert is on December 11 at 1:30 in the New School Jazz Performance Space. I will be performing with the Linear Composition Ensemble, directed by Jane Ira Bloom. This concert will feature original compositions by the members of the ensemble.

stranger music
Some of my more, um, interesting composing.

Other than these concerts, it’s been pretty busy. I’ve been studying with Marc Copland and Vijay Iyer this semester, and despite the extraordinarily crowded conditions at school, I’ve spent plenty of time practicing and writing music, some quite strange and some not so strange.

I am also an approved tutor in several subject areas, including sight-reading, ear training, and theory. There seems to be a particular need for sight-reading tutors.

I’ve also been out to see several shows, including Michael Formanek with Craig Taborn, Tim Berne and Gerald CleaverJason Moran and the Bandwagon; and Chris Lightcap‘s Bigmouth.

My apartment and I both survived Hurricane Sandy intact, but school was closed for a week after the hurricane.

I’ll be heading to Austria over the winter break, where I’ll be visiting family, enjoying the outdoors, and (hopefully) practicing and composing.

 

December Update

Season’s greetings!
I just wanted to let you know about a couple of performances I have coming up. The first is on Thursday, December 22 at noon in Courtroom 317 in Landmark Center for a Schubert Club Courtroom Concert. I will be playing solo, which is not something I have done very often. This concert is free.
The second is on Thursday, December 29 at 9:00 pm at the Acadia Cafe. I will be playing with my trio (Ted Olsen, bass; Matt Buckner, drums). No cover.
Also, I am pleased to note that, after a successful scholarship audition in November, I will be moving to New York in January to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music!
Happy holidays!

August Update

I just wanted to let you know about several upcoming performances I have this month.

The first is Thursday, August 11 from 7 pm to 9 pm at the Bean Good Cafe in St. Louis Park. I will be playing with my trio (Ted Olsen, bass; Matt Buckner, drums).

The next one is Saturday, August 13 at 7 pm at Studio Z in St. Paul. I will be playing with my quintet (Caleb McMahon, trumpet; Brad Allen, saxophone; Jordan Jenkins, bass; Matt Buckner, drums). This event features three sets of music; we are playing the first set. The second set is by The Famous Last Words (Joe Strachan, piano; Noah Ophoven-Baldwin, trumpet), and the third is The Famous Last Words featuring Cory Grindberg (bass) and Miguel Hurtado (drums). $5 cover at the door; there will be snacks.

After we’re finished at Studio Z, I head over to the Gingko Coffehouse in St. Paul. I will be playing with my trio (Ted Olsen, bass; Matt Buckner, drums) starting at 9 pm.

On Saturday, August 20 at 12 pm I will be playing with the Dakota Combo at the Burnsville Art and All That Jazz festival.

Also, in addition to my website (https://quentintschofen.com), I have launched a Bandcamp page (http://quentintschofen.bancamp.com) with recordings of various performances that you can download. I will be adding more music in the near future, so check back often!

July Update

I just wanted to let you know about several performances I have coming up. The first is with the Dakota Combo on Saturday, July 16 at 4:00 on the Youth Stage at the Dakota Street Fest. The stage is on Nicollet Mall and 11th St. S, across from Peavy Plaza.

Second, I am playing with my trio (Ted Olsen, bass; Matt Buckner, drums) at the Bean Good Cafe in St. Louis Park on Monday, July 18, 25 and Monday, August 1 from 7:00 to 9:00. No cover, but tips are encouraged.

Next, I am playing with my trio on Saturday, July 23 from 9:00 to midnight at the Gingko Coffehouse in St. Paul. We will be playing a set, and following that, there will be a jam session open to anyone interested in playing! There is no cover, but a donation of at least $3 is encouraged.

Then, on Sunday, July 24, at 10:00, I will be playing with Owen Miller (saxophone), Ted Olsen (bass), and Matt Buckner (drums) at the Acadia Cafe for “Minneapolis Free Music Society Presents…” This will be a completely improvised set; there is no cover.

Finally, on Saturday, July 30 at 5:15, I will be debuting my quintet (Caleb McMahon, trumpet; Brad Allen, saxophone; Jordan Jenkins, bass; Cameron LeCrone, drums) at the Midtown Global Market Jazz Festival.

Hope to see you there!

Update

Hi!

I just wanted to let you know about three great performances I have coming up in the next two weeks.

The first is Monday, May 2 at 7:30 in Ted Mann Concert Hall with the University of Minnesota Jazz Ensembles. This concert is a tribute to the Count Basie Big Band. As an interesting twist, there will be two pianos on stage. I’ll be on one, and former Dakota Combo pianist Joe Strachan will be on the other. Rumor has it we might be playing at the same time!

The second is Thursday, May 5 at 7:00 at the Artists’ Quarter with the Dakota Combo. We’ll be playing a wide selection of tunes, a few from our Mingus repertoire, and a few others. Although the AQ doesn’t serve food, it’s possible to get takeout from Great Waters and Wild Tymes, both nearby, and bring it into the AQ. You can get your drinks on site at the AQ. This is a great jazz club, the show is free, and if you want to stay afterwards, you can listen to Vicky Mountain with the Chris Lomheim Trio at 9:00 for $5.

The third is the Dakota Combo Final Concert on Thursday, May 12 at 8:00 in Antonello Hall at MacPhail Center for Music. This concert will be recorded live, so plan to applaud heartily! This concert is also free.

Hope to see you at any and all of these events!