Life Changes Show, February 6, 2017
Life Changes Show with Filippo Voltaggio and cohost Mark Laisure
“How Legends Are Made,” with Guest Barbara Morrison, Legendary Jazz Performer, Recording Artist, Educator and Founder of The Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center; and Musical Guests Internationally Renowned Violinist and Founder of The Enlightenment Music Series, Marina Manukian and Internationally Renowned Pianist and Consummate Crossover Artist of his time, Bryan Pezzone on The LIFE CHANGES Show
GUEST: BARBARA MORRISON and MUSICAL GUESTS: MARINA MANUKIAN and BRYAN PEZZONE
Guest, Marina Manukian
Marina Manukian – violin / artistic director
At the age of 11, violinist Marina Manukian joined the Radio and Television Violin Ensemble of Armenia thus becoming the youngest professional musician in the former Soviet Union. She received her musical training from Georgi Ajemian, Alice Schoenfeld, Yehudi Menuhin, Sandor Vegh and Sidney Weiss. Marina has studied at the prestigious Mozarteum School of Music in Salzburg, Austria and is also a USC graduate with Highest Honors.
Since childhood, Marina has performed radio and television broadcasts, recordings, solos with orchestras, chamber music concerts and recitals. Her passionate artistry has been heard and embraced throughout Europe, former U.S.S.R. and the United States.
She is the winner of numerous music awards and prizes including the 1st prize for National Young Artist Competition, in former U.S.S.R., Aspen International Music Festival and Herb Alpert Music Award from A & M Records.
Marina has performed with such renowned artists as Mstislav Rostropovich, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Valeri Giergiev, Kent Nagano, James Conlon, Lynn Harell, and others. The Los Angeles Times identifies Marina Manukian as “a violinist extraordinaire…whose virtuosity is exceeded only by her calmness and confidence, working through the intricacies with masterful grace and strength.”
Since 2006 Marina has been the Artistic Director and Concertmaster of The Enlightenment Chamber Music Series which presents concerts performed by the selection of expert chamber musicians, soloists and recording artists from around the world. In addition to her solo and chamber music performances Marina has recorded for over 700 television and motion picture scores working with numerous composers including John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Newton-Howard, James Horner, Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer and Michael Giacchino.
Guest, Bryan Pezzone
BRYAN PEZZONE
Bryan Pezzone is the consummate crossover pianist of his generation. He has excelled in classical, contemporary, jazz, and experimental genres and is known for both his versatility and virtuosity as a performing artist, improviser and composer. Bryan performs with composers and musicians as diverse as Pierre Boulez, John Williams, and John Adams, and records on countless film and television soundtracks. He is the pianist in the group Free Flight; a crossover classical/jazz quartet.
These concerts feature many of his own compositions. In addition, Bryan has initiated a performing series that he calls “FREEDOM SERIES” which involves improvisations and verbal musings on life.
Bryan has performed with many major symphony orchestra associations, and is known in the Los Angeles area as one of the primary freelance pianists for film and television soundtrack recording, contemporary music premieres, and chamber music accompany. As a soloist, Bryan has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Pasadena Pops, Santa Monica Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute Orchestra, United States International University Orchestra, U.C. Irvine Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonic and the Pacific Symphony.
Bryan has produced CDs of his own music which blends jazz and classical styles– including “Flying on Water” produced by Steve Wight, featuring M.B. Gordy on drums and Bart Samolis on bass, as well as solo piano CD’s featuring his more introspective music, including Piano Prayers, Visits with Gershwin, Hymns for Holliston, and Music Candles and Mountaintops.
In addition, Bryan has been principal pianist in the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra from its inception in 1991-1999 as well as the former chair and founder of the Multi-focused keyboard department at the California Institute of the Arts from 1987-2000. He abandoned both those positions in order to discover new paths and is passionate about continuously redefining himself and his role as an artist, musician, and person in today’s complex and eclectic culture.
Guest, Barbara Morrison
BARBARA MORRISON
Originally from Detroit, Barbara Morrison’s twenty-year career as a performer and recording artist includes appearances worldwide with some of the greatest names in jazz:She has performed with artists such as; Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Collette, Joe Williams, Gerald Wiggins, Jimmy Witherspoon, Hank Crawford, Eddie Harris, Nancy Wilson, David T. Walker and Jimmy Smith. She has performed in such highly regarded venues as Carnegie Hall, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Bern Jazz Festival and the Playboy Jazz Festival.
Life Changes Show
Come and join the conversation about what's going on and what we can do together about it, with it, and for it. We have the choice, we have the power. We can do magic if we just believe!
A show about the changes going on in us, to us, around us, and because of us. Therefore, it's technically a show about "Everything," only with a how to make it better, see it better, be better.
In the show, there is talk about, and with, people who have either been through major changes, are helping others with major changes, or people who are changing the world for the better in a major way.
The show is a one-hour talk show format with a monologue by the host, a 30 minute interview with a guest of note, capped by a "Producer's Wrap" segment, in which Filippo and Co-Host Mark Laisure, and sometimes surprise guests, bring it all home for the listeners in a sometimes humorous and sometimes touching, but always entertaining conversation.
