Place des Arts’ final faculty concert of the season will be a first for piano teacher Isaac Juarez-Flores.
The Mexico City native will give his début performance at the Coquitlam venue next Saturday with friends Ross Curran (saxophone, flute, clarinet) and Aaron Joyce (guitar) in a show titled One Jazzy Evening.
Juarez-Flores, who has taught the keyboards at Place des Arts for about seven years, said the crowd can relax while listening to the sounds of Kenny Dorham, Antonio Jobim (The Girl from Ipanema) and other jazz masters.
Also on the program will be tunes from Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, the Bee Gees and Joseph Kosma.
A graduate of the National University of Mexico who also holds his ARCT with the Royal Conservatory of Music, Juarez-Flores took up the piano at the age of nine after his father bought the instrument for his sister.
Today, the critically acclaimed musician teaches about 40 students privately at Place des Arts and adjudicates piano entrants at the Chancellor Music Festival in Burnaby.
Juarez-Flores said he met Curran through a mutual friend and the pair talk about music and education each week. Curran played in the Preservation of Swing big band for 22 years and freelanced with other jazz groups, classical trios, shows and school concerts.
As for Joyce, Juarez-Flores said the two worked together at the Richmond Arts Centre. Joyce has contributed to more than 25 albums — including Rae Spoon, Dan Mangan and Shane Koyzcan’s — as a songwriter, producer and arranger.
For tickets to One Jazzy Evening on April 22, call Place des Arts (1122 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam) at 604-664-1636 or visit brownpapertickets.ca.
jcleugh@tricitynews.com
