Panel discussion with Russian artist and festival representatives

I was to have performed at the 2020 What a Wonderful World Jazz Festival in Chelyabinsk, Russia in June. I was also scheduled to present master classes and other educational activities for organizations like the Chelyabinsk State Philharmonic, P.I. Tchaikovsky South Ural State Institute of the Arts and more throughout the region including Yekaterinburg, Zlatoust, Satka, Ufa and Perm. In addition, visits to the Jazz Center in Yaroslavl (a return visit after many years) and the American Corner and Gnessin Academy in Moscow were on my schedule. I was very fortunate to have received support from the US Embassy. Many contacts in Russia and the Embassy worked with me for over a year to make my visit possible. Well we all know what happened COVID 19. Everything was not cancelled but just postponed until 2021. Hopefully we will all get to see and participate in this wonderful opportunity next year. I know I will and to that end Philharmonic coordinator Natalia Rikker, Matthew Thompson from the US Consulate in Yekaterinburg and jazz guitarist Valery Soundarev participated in a panel discussion talking about jazz, jazz education, the festival, approaches to teaching and even playing over great distances. Samir Kambarov (friend, former student and outstanding saxophonist and educator) was my interpreter. The interchange was both informative and enjoyable. I hope you will take the time to join our discussion.