# Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz announces 12 semifinalists for its int’l guitar competition: Photos, Video

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2019/11/11/herbie-hancock-institute-of-jazz-announces-12-semifinalists-for-its-intl-guitar-competition-photos-video/
- Published: 2019-11-11T22:47:00+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz has announced 12 semifinalists for its International
Guitar Competition, to be held next month in Washington, D.C.**

Previously known as the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, the Hancock
Competition is among the most prominent events of its kind. Last year saw its first
edition under the new title, reflecting a larger change in the institute’s branding;
the instrumental focus was piano, and the winner was Tom Oren, who originally hails
from Israel.

Half of this year’s semifinalists are United States residents, each based in a different
state. The other half hail from six different countries. In alphabetical order, 
they are: Cecil Alexander (Muskegon, Mich.); Joseph Bell (Princeton, N.J.); Will
Brahm (Portland, Ore.); François Chanvallon (Paris, France); Lucian Gray (Toronto,
Canada); Max Light (Bethesda, Md.); Armen Movsesyan (Los Angeles, Calif.); Evgeny
Pobozhiv (Seversk, Russia); Matt Sewell (St. Louis, Mo.); Juan Vidaurre (Caracas,
Venezuela); Tal Yahalom (Jerusalem, Israel); and Francesco Zampini (Rome, Italy).

These 12 guitarists will converge in the semifinals on Dec. 2, at the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of the American Indian. There they’ll perform for a panel of judges
composed of notable guitarists, including Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Stanley Jordan
and Russell Malone. (Tickets for the semifinals are free, but limited; they’ll be
distributed at the National Museum of the American Indian at 11 a.m. on the day 
of the event, first-come, first-served.)

From this group, three finalists will go on to compete at the Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts on Dec. 3, as part of a gala concert featuring music by Hancock,
vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, saxophonist Bobby Watson and many others. Also during
the concert, the Hancock Institute will present its Maria Fisher Founder’s Award
to trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, a longtime director of the Institute’s
postgraduate college program.

The winning guitarist will receive $30,000 in scholarship funds, and a guaranteed
recording contract with the Concord Music Group. Even more significant, perhaps,
is the prestige of the title: past winners of the Monk Competition include major
artists like saxophonist Joshua Redman, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and singers
Jazzmeia Horn and Cécile McLorin Salvant.

[[

Lage Lund, left, performing alongside George Benson at the 2005 Monk Competition
finals.

Guitar hasn’t been a focus of the event since 2005, when the three finalists were
Lage Lund, Miles Okazaki and David Mooney. Lund won first prize that year, but all
three players went on to notable careers.

At a time when it can seem harder than ever to garner attention, that could be true
again of the winner’s circle this year.

Tickets for the Hancock Competition finals and gala concert are $35 to $125 — available
in person at the Kennedy Center box office; by calling 800-444-1324

![Pianist Tom Oren, winner of the 2018 Hancock Competition, with Concord's John 
Burk and Herbie Hancock.](https://i0.wp.com/www.wbgo.org/sites/wbgo/files/styles/
medium/public/201911/Concord-Music-Groups-John-Burk-Tom-Oren-Herbie-Hancock.jpg?
w=640&ssl=1)

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