Hans Koller Visits for Jazz Edition of Twilight Concert

Last week the Music Department held a special ‘Jazz Edition’ of the Twilight Concert Series. The Swing Band, and several solo performers, benefitted from the expertise of a guest conductor and jazz musician. Hans Koller is a renowned jazz pianist, and is Head of Jazz Programmes at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Dr Koller worked on the Swing Band’s repertoire, ensemble skills and improvisation technique, and conducted them for the concert. Aspiring double bass jazz players Henry B and William J learnt how to play a jazz bass line with Dr Koller on the piano, and then performed their improvised piece in the concert. Saxophonist Alex J (Prep Year 6) was able to perform a duo piece with Dr Koller improvising an accompaniment at the piano. The concert featured several more performances in a jazz style, with excellent contributions from Mumu Z, who performed Darius Milhaud’s ‘Scaramouche’ and Lynus L and Ethan G, who performed their own arrangement of the Waltz from Shostakovich’s first Jazz Suite.