YoungArts

Jazz

Matt Harris is the co-director of Jazz Studies at California State University, Northridge and is a current faculty member at Idyllwild Arts Summer Jazz Workshop. He has written for the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Metrapole Orchestra (Netherlands), Airmen of Note, Air Force Falcolnaires, Kluvers Big Band (Denmark), as well as high school and college bands throughout the country. Matt has played piano and written music for some of today’s top jazz vocalists. Matt recently teamed up with the current saxophonist for the Rolling Stones to arrange 12 “Stones tunes.”

Lawrence “Larry” McClellan, Jr. has appeared with Aretha Franklin at President Bill Clinton’s Inauguration in Washington, D.C. As an educator, he has served as Director of Music Education at the University of the Virgin Islands and as Dean of Professional Education at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has has written several articles/transcriptions for Downbeat, the Dictionary of American Biography and the Jazz Education Journal, and authored a book. Since retiring from Berklee in 2007, he has remained active as a performer,
                               arranger/composer, adjudicator and clinician.

Chair / William “Bill” Pierce began performing and appearing with artists such as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder as early as the 70s.  He has recorded and toured throughout Europe, Asia, and America.  He is chairman of the woodwind department at Berklee College of Music and has been a member of the Tony Williams Quintet and Kevin Eubanks quartet.