Thursday, March 26, 2009 {The Blue Banner} Page 9

The UNC Asheville Accomplished pianist honors friend Career Center Presents... and UNCA alumnus in April concert By Alyssa Spencer Life is Calling Staff Writer What is Your Intention? AFSF>[email protected] Renowned jazz pianist Vijay Iyer will March 30-April 3 perform a free concert April 4 in Lipinsky Auditorium in honor of UNC Asheville Monday, March 30 alumnus Dan Lucas, who died a year ago. Discover your passion and purpose The Dan Lucas Memorial Fund sponsors in life... the concert. Edie Raether Iyer, who started playing by ear HU 222, 4-6 p.m. when he was six years old, met Lucas Wednesday, April 1 through his former co-worker Greg Horses on the A.C. Reynolds Green! Lucas, Dan’s older brother. Dan Lucas, Shannon Knapp, a first-year candidate for a doctorate in Horse Sense of the Carolinas, Inc. chemistry at the University of California Mini Quad, 11a.m.-2 p.m. at Berkeley, was a Jazz and classical Sulkiro Song - Staff Photographer piano player during his years at UNCA. Renowned jazz pianist, Vijay Iyer plays in Lipinsky Auditorium on April 4th. Stepping up in Style: Iyer, who holds degrees in mathematics The concert is free and open to the public. Doors open at 7 p.m. The Feldenkrais Method of Movement and physics from Yale College and an Lavinia Plonka {Asheville Movement Center) HU 222 - TWO SESSIONS; interdisciplinary Ph.D in technology and “By the time I went to college I was hip-hop artists like and can more serious about jazz piano,” Iyer said. lead a classroom discussion on cognitive Session 1: 4:30-5:30 p.m. the arts from UC Berkeley, bonded with Session 2: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Lucas over science and music. “Still, I didn’t know at the time whether behavior or West African music. My “I felt that Dan was a kindred spirit,” I had a chance at a musical career. I brother (Dan) loved the complexity and Iyer said. “I was deeply affected by his think the main moment that hit me like newness of Vijay’s piano style.” Many More Events! passing and am glad to have this chance a lightning bolt was when, in the fall of Iyer’s albums include “Door,” a Check out our website at to honor his memory.” 1994, the world-renowned saxophonist- collaboration with the experimental three- www.unca.edu/career Lucas said this is the first performance composer invited me to piece band Fieldwork, and “Tragicomic,” the Dan Lucas Memorial Fund is go on tour with his band to Europe. That both from 2008. sponsoring. He plans on making the opportunity shook me out of my comfort “I’ve listened to a few pieces off concert an annual event that is free to the zone and made me take music that much of Tragicomic and thought they were community. more seriously.” very captivating,” said Andrew Hardy UNCA hosts the “When Dan died, his family and Aside from a few theory, harmony and ■ Williamson, UNCA music student. friends decided the best way to honor ensemble high school classes, Iyer never “The piano parts are so fresh, and the 2nd Big South his life would be to keep his passion for received formal training on the piano. accompanying instruments are just as music, science and the outdoors alive He attributes his artistic education to his innovative. It’s full of passion.” through a memorial fund,” Lucas said. collaborations with other musicians. Iyer’s April performance marks his Undergraduate “We established the fund through the “Mainly I learned from dissecting first visit to Asheville, and he said he is Community Foundation of Western North my favorite recordings and from the eager to perfonn in the city. Research Carolina and continue to receive money professional opportunities I’ve had, “I’ve been hearing about Asheville for and distribute it to good causes as much on-the-job training, you might say,” years from my manager, Steve Cohen, as possible.” Iyer said. “I’ve learned a huge amount who has made that his base,” Iyer said. Symposium Although now a well-respected pianist, from my experiences collaborating with “More and more people swear by the Iyer said his love for music began with experimental jazz artists Coleman and place, so I can’t wait to see what all the Friday and the violin. , poet-performers Mike hype is about!” “Growing up I played violin in Ladd and and a number Iyer said his cuirent projects include Saturday. orchestras, learned the solo repertoire of stellar classical Indian musicians and touring with his longtime associates and had fun, but basically did what I contemporary South Asian American Stephan Crump, on bass, and Marcus was told,” Iyer said. “So piano was sort musicians.” Gilmore, on drums, and recording some Students from of the creative antithesis of that. I just Iyer said he is very influenced by material that should be available later this messed around on my sister’s piano for the music he grew up with - rock, pop, year. nine Big South fun, picking out songs off the radio and hip-hop, western classical music - and “I recently created a bunch of music improvising, making music on my own also by African drumming, American for ESPN, which will hit the airwaves terras.” experimentalists and Indian classical soon,” Iyer said. “So if you hear some schools present music. In college, Iyer focused on music, breakneck-fast jazz quintet theme to although he thought his life calling would “Vijay is so multifaceted,” Lucas Sports Center, that might just be a little their research. be in the field of physics or mathematics. said. “He regularly collaborates with something from me and the guys!”