Setnor School Welcomes Guest Artist Bernard Struber for Two Concerts

Renowned musician Bernard Struber will visit the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Rose, Jules R. and Stanford S. Setnor School of Music on Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15, for two special concerts. Struber is a guest artist from France’s Conservatoire de Strasbourg, where Setnor students may study as part of SU Abroad.

Bernard Struber

On Friday, Nov. 14, Struber will perform as guitar soloist with the Setnor School’s Morton Schiff Jazz Ensemble and the Syracuse University Jazz Faculty Sextet at 7 p.m. in Shemin Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public.

Under the direction of Setnor faculty member John C. Coggiola, the Morton Schiff Jazz Ensemble will perform works by Nestico, Nelson, Akiyoshi, Wolf and Landesman and Grove. Struber will also perform on guitar with the Jazz Faculty Sextet, which includes Jeff Stockham, Mike Dubaniewicz, Melissa Gardiner, Bill DiCosimo, Mario Pietra and Josh Dekaney.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, Struber will perform on the historic Holtkamp Organ at 5 p.m. in Setnor Auditorium, Crouse College. This concert is also free and open to the public. The program will feature music from Struber’s native France, including “Mass for the Parishes” by Francois Couperin, as well as improvisation on themes by Ellington and Grieg.

Struber lives in Strasbourg, France. He started music instruction at age 9; as a teenager, he performed regularly asa rock guitarist and jazz pianist and played organ for Sunday worship services. At the age of 16, he entered the conservatory organ class, where he received several prizes while studying with renowned pedagogues Xavier Darasse and Jean Langlais. During his studies, he worked with Pierre Vidal, author of several books about the interpretation of the organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach.

In 1979, Struber created the department of jazz and improvisation at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg. In 1987, he founded the 15-piece ensemble Regional Orchestra Jazz Alsace, which evolved into a nine-member ensemble known today as Struber’s Jazztett. This group has created more than 200 compositions and has performed at the major jazz festivals in Paris; Amsterdam; Washington D.C.; Berlin; and Odessa, Ukraine.

Struber is a sought-after teacher, with two methods publications to his credit: “Musiques en Jeux” (2004) and “Musiques en Atelier” (2011). In 2004 he was awarded the Django d’Or, a prestigious prize for creativity.

For most Setnor events, free and accessible concert parking is available on campus in the Q-1 lot. If the lot is full or unavailable, guests will be directed to alternate lots. Campus parking availability is subject to change; call 315-443-2191 for current information or for more information about the concerts.