Jazz
Adjunct Faculty
Paul Beaudry, Bass
Paul Beaudry, a San Francisco native, is a bassist, composer, producer, and educator. Starting out his musical studies at age 5 on piano and age 8 on drums, he continued playing piano and drums until he took up electric bass at age 18 and acoustic bass 2 years later. A self-taught composer and producer he began writing and recording his own music at age 16,and wrote his first piece for orchestra at age 19. Since then he has actively sought the highest levels of instruction in both performance and composition.
Currently living in New York City he holds a B.M. in Classical Composition from Berklee College of Music and a M.A.in Jazz Performance from Queens College. He has studied bass primarily with John Clayton, Rufus Reid, and Buster Williams and is influenced by their playing as well as the greats Ray Brown, Ron Carter, and Paul Chambers. Working mostly in the jazz idiom Paul has performed and toured in bands all over the world led by many famous musicians such as: Steve Turre, Wycliffe Gordon, Antonio Hart, Charlie Persip, Winard Harper, Dena DeRose, Miles Griffith, Allan Harris, Cynthia Scott, and Eric Lewis. He has also performed in concerts or on recordings with such greats as: Clark Terry, Jimmy Cobb, Frank Wess, Cecil Bridgewater, Eddie Henderson, Mike Longo, Roy Hargrove, Billy Harper, Don Braden,Wess Anderson, Billy Pierce, Gary Thomas, Cyrus Chestnut, Bruce Barth, Steve Slagle, Ron Blake, Joel Frahm, and many others. He has been a pioneer in world music as a producer, performer, and strong component of the new Haitian Jazz movement in New York which has now reached a worldwide audience. A committed educator, Mr. Beaudry teaches at Teachers College, Columbia University and Hunter College both in New York City.
In teaching, Mr. Beaudry focuses on the steady and constant application of simple steps to achieve mastery of the instrument, the music, and the mindset of the performer. Believing that everything complex is a mixture of two or more simplicities, he enjoys witnessing his students grow by having them identify the unclear simplicity, mastering it, and seeing problem areas disappear and understanding, technique, confidence, and mastery increase.
Haruko Yoshizawa, Jazz Pianist
Trineice Robinson, Voice
A native of Oakland, Ca., Trineice Robinson-Martin's performance experience spans a variety of venues and settings. From the intimacy of private parties and local clubs, to the grand stages of musical arts centers and large music festivals, to international stages in Scandinavian countries, Dr. Robinson-Martin has performed the Monterey Jazz Festival, the San Jose Jazz festival, the International Association of Jazz Educators conference (with the African American Caucus Jazz Band, and also with the Willis Kirk Orchestra), and has been a featured performer with the Bloomington POPS Orchestra. Trineice Robinson-Martins's repertoire contains music across genres and includes art songs in the classical tradition, spirituals, jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, gospel, Latin music, classic and alternative rock, country-pop, contemporary country, and hip-hop. She performs regularly in the Tri-State area.
Dr. Robinson-Martins's educational background combines the improvisation and world music emphasis in her undergraduate at San Jose State University, the jazz history and performance emphasis of her Master's degree at Indiana University, and the research and study of applied teaching in music education in her doctoral studies at Teacher's College, Columbia University. At Teachers College she explored vocal pedagogy in nonclassical music, the performance aesthetics of the various genres of nonclassical music and their implications for pedagogic practices, and teaching strategies to nurture musicality and creative expression. Her philosophy of teaching focuses on the development of artistic and creative musical interpretation, and uses the acquisition of technique as a catalyst for developing musicality.
Known by her professional name, Haruko Nara is a jazz pianist, composer, and educator. Originally from Japan, she has been concertizing worldwide for over 20 years. She performed at jazz clubs such as Blue Note, Birdland, Bradley's and The Knitting Factory. She has also given concerts and Whitney Museum, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, National University of Trinidad in Port of Spain, Institute Gipponese di Cultura in Milan, National Theater Salade la Cultura in Santo Domingo, Japan Fest in Copan Ruinas and San Salvador, Premiere Recontre Autor Du Piano in Guadeloupe, and Musica Oggi in Milan.
Over the years, Dr. Yoshizawa has played with numerous eminent musicians including Frank Wess, Billy Higgins, Eddie Henderson, Carl Allen, Nana Vasconselos, Clifford Jordan, Don Cherry, Wallace Roney, Buster Williams, and Rufus Lead. She also has performed with groups led by Kenny Garrett, Major HOlley, Marion Cowings, and Billy Hart. In 1990, she released her debut album My Favorite Things from Pony Canyon Label. She has also played the synthesizer on three of Lonnie Plaxicos recordings as well as being featured on Kiyoto Fujiwara's recording of MG4.
Since 1992 she has been teaching jazz piano, synthesizer, and research in music education, and independent study course at Teachers College, Columbia University. She was promoted to an adjunct assistant professor in 1999. She also taught and the New School University's Actors Studio. In addition, she has given jazz workshops and lectures at Pennsylvania State University, Dominican Republic National Conservatory of Music, El Salvador National Conservatory of Music, Honduras National Conservatory of Music, National University of Panama, the Puerto Rico National Conservatory among others worldwide.
Dr. Yoshizawa's research inerests are jazz, improvisation, jazz pedagogy, and West African music. She is the author of the Jazz Phrasing Book published by Zen-on. She also wrote monthly articles for Jazz Life Magazine and Chopin Magazine in Japan. She is currently working on a research project focusing on West African music and has made several research trips to Bamako, Mali. As a cultural ambassador, Dr. Yoshizawa has been engaged in numerous programs abroad. She was invited by The Japan Foundation to give a solo concert in Rome. By the invitation of the Japanese Embassies, she traveled throughout the Caribbean and Central American giving concerts and workshops along with singer Gino Sitson. She gave lectures to both music students and the general public about jazz, improvisation, African music, as well as Japanese music as various institutions.
Dr. Yoshizawa earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Manhattan School of Music. She also studied classical composition at The Juilliard School and studied jazz piano with Kenny Parron and jazz arranging with David Berger. She holds a Doctorate Degree in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Dr. Yoshizawa believes that creativity, originality, spontaneity, openness, boldness, and energy are vital in jazz performance. To develop these qualities, she provides learning environments that allow students to discover ideas through trial and error. She encourages them to explore their own ideas while the students learn basic concepts and techniques in jazz.
In her class, improvisational concepts, voicing techniques, rhythmic principles, melodic materials, and diverse styles of jazz repertoire are introduced using two key approaches: concept learning and aural learning. Students learn jazz improvisation concepts and are encouraged to apply such concepts to various musical settings. Her class also often focuses on aural approaches to help enchance students' listening skills.
The goals for her students are to develop and understanding of jazz styles and improvisation concepts, to develop techniques in jazz performance, and to gain competence in applying basic concepts of jazz improvisation, and to foster the students' own musical identity.
http://www.harukonara.com
Trineice Robinson, Voice
A native of Oakland, Ca., Trineice Robinson-Martin's performance experience spans a variety of venues and settings. From the intimacy of private parties and local clubs, to the grand stages of musical arts centers and large music festivals, to international stages in Scandinavian countries, Dr. Robinson-Martin has performed the Monterey Jazz Festival, the San Jose Jazz festival, the International Association of Jazz Educators conference (with the African American Caucus Jazz Band, and also with the Willis Kirk Orchestra), and has been a featured performer with the Bloomington POPS Orchestra. Trineice Robinson-Martins's repertoire contains music across genres and includes art songs in the classical tradition, spirituals, jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, gospel, Latin music, classic and alternative rock, country-pop, contemporary country, and hip-hop. She performs regularly in the Tri-State area.Dr. Robinson-Martins's educational background combines the improvisation and world music emphasis in her undergraduate at San Jose State University, the jazz history and performance emphasis of her Master's degree at Indiana University, and the research and study of applied teaching in music education in her doctoral studies at Teacher's College, Columbia University. At Teachers College she explored vocal pedagogy in nonclassical music, the performance aesthetics of the various genres of nonclassical music and their implications for pedagogic practices, and teaching strategies to nurture musicality and creative expression. Her philosophy of teaching focuses on the development of artistic and creative musical interpretation, and uses the acquisition of technique as a catalyst for developing musicality.