Helen Sung, jazz piano

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Pianist/composer Helen Sung has spent most of her life in two distinct worlds. A classical student from a young age who transitioned to jazz in her early twenties, she understands the limitless range and potential of the piano in a way that few specialists in either genre can. In addition, as the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Sung embodies two diverse cultures and has discovered a musical voice and identity that is true to both – and more importantly, true to herself. A 2021 Guggenheim Fellow, she eschewed her classical piano upbringing after a jazz epiphany during undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She went on to become part of the inaugural class of the Thelonious Monk Institute (now the Herbie Hancock Institute) at the New England Conservatory of Music. Known as a superb pedagogue of jazz piano, she’ll be spending the week with our students in masterclasses and rehearsals and will perform one set of her own Horace Silver arrangements with the wonderful UVM Big Band, directed by Alex Stewart, as well as one set with a small professional combo.

Please contact Lane.Series@uvm.edu with any questions.