Puerto Rican-born MacArthur “Genius Grant” fellow and multi-Grammy-nominated saxophonist-composer Miguel Zenón joined conductor Fred Harris and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Festival Jazz Ensemble and clarinetist/composer Evan Ziporyn in two special benefit concerts for the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Both performances featured the world premiere of En Pie De Lucha, Zenón’s new composition for jazz ensemble.
Zenón and the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble (FJE) were slated to tour Puerto Rico in January of 2018 but had to postpone due to Hurricane Maria. “We were so excited about this trip,” says MIT FJE music director Fred Harris. “Along with concerts, we were planning on educational outreach events connecting MIT students with middle and high school students. We look forward to making the trip happen in 2019 but we want to contribute something now!”
“Even though it isn’t front page news anymore, there’s still a lot of need in Puerto Rico,” said Zenón, “I’m very excited about these concerts and grateful to Fred and MIT for putting them together. The benefits are meant to raise funds as well as awareness about the situation on the island.”
Zenón has twice been an artist-in-residence at MIT, most recently in 2015 for the premiere of his extended composition for wind ensemble Music as Service, which was the subject of the MIT documentary film Call and Response.
Both concerts featured the world premiere of Zenón’s En Pie De Lucha, a homage to the people of his home country. “The piece was inspired by the resiliency and courage of Puerto Rican people during these very trying times. It’s a tribute to those who stayed on the Island in the aftermath of the destruction, who were willing to put up a fight and rebuild their country.”
The program also featured music from Zenón’s celebrated recordings as well other works by noted jazz artists. MIT Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Music, Faculty Director for MIT’s Center for Art, Science & Technology, head of the MIT Music & Theater Arts Section, and renowned clarinetist-composer Evan Ziporyn were featured soloist on both concerts.