Russian jazz hornist performs with Jazz Lab Band
April 2, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- The Jazz Lab Band at Western Michigan University will be joined by guest artist Arkady Shilkloper in a free concert performance Thursday, April 10, beginning at 8:15 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.
Russian-born Shilkloper began to play alto horn at age 6 and switched to French horn at age 11, when he entered the Moscow Military Music School. Shilkloper plays French horn, flugelhorn, alphorn, and many more unusual wind instruments. From 1978 to 1985 he was a member of the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre. With that world-famous orchestra and as a member of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, 1985-89, he undertook numerous worldwide concert tours.
During the 1980s, Shilkloper started playing traditional jazz with double bass player Mikhail Karetnikov and avant-garde jazz in Three O Project with saxophonist Sergei Letov and tuba player Arkady Kirichenko. Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, Shilkloper has worked independently both as a solo performer and, since 1988, in a duo with piano player Misha Alperin.
Shilkloper has played with Lionel Hampton, Elvin Jones, Lew Soloff, and Herb Ellis. He also has worked with Pierre Favre, Louis Sclavis, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Jon Christensen, and Bob Stewart. He also participates in international projects such as Pago Libre and Christian Muthspiel's Octet Ost and records as a guest musician with bands like Vienna Art Orchestra.
Media contact: Kevin West, 269 387-4678, kevin.west@wmich.edu