Jazz Through the Decades

On Sunday, March 16 at 3:00 pm, the Tri-County Symphonic Band, under the direction of Philip Sanborn, will continue its 2024–2025 concert season with a program tracing the history of jazz entitled “Jazz Through the Decades.” The program will highlight some of the most important composers with symphonic band arrangements of works that guide us through the various styles of jazz over the years. Clarinetist Charlie Suriyakham will perform Ante Grgin’s Concertino for Clarinet. Also, pianist/arranger Matt Richard will lead his jazz trio with a suite that he has adapted for trio and symphonic band.

Clarinetist Charlie Suriyakham was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand, graduated from the Prince Royal’s College and attended Payap University for one year. In 1993, he started his clarinet studies at California State University at Northridge. In 1995, he transferred to Chicago College of the Performing Arts of Roosevelt University in Chicago where he received a full scholarship to complete his B.M., M.M., and Professional Diploma in orchestral studies. Charlie has performed with conductors and musicians including Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre Boulez, Sir Colin Davis, Christoph von Dohnányi, Hilary Hahn, and Leonard Slatkin. He currently holds a position with the United State Coast Guard Band, one of the premier military bands in the United States of America.

Matt Richard studied classical piano with Ken Manzer and jazz piano with Dr. Billy Taylor. Workshops and performance master classes included jazz legends Max Roach, Marian McPartland, and Michael Brecker. A graduate of Westfield State College with a degree in piano performance, Matt taught choral music at Fairhaven High School and Tabor Academy in Marion from 1988-1997. Matt was a vocal coach and accompanist for the nationally recognized Jazz In July Workshops at UMASS, Amherst from 1985 – 2006. Matt has performed throughout the New England area for the past thirty years as a soloist, an accompanist, and with many different ensembles including jazz vocal legend Sheila Jordan, Dick Johnson and The Artie Shaw Orchestra, Bombay Jim Porcella and The Swingin’ Sapphires, Fred Tillis, Emil Haddad, Lou Columbo, Gray Sargent, Marshall Wood, Bruce Gertz, Dave Zinno, Dino Govoni, and Jim Robitaille.

The concert will be held at the Fireman Performing Arts Center, on the campus of Tabor Academy, 245 Front Street, Marion. Adult tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Children aged 12 and under are admitted free of charge. Tickets may be purchased in advance at The Symphony Music Shop in Dartmouth, The Marion General Store in Marion or online at tricountysymphonicband.org.

Please visit tricountysymphonicband.org for more detailed information.