Pianist Helen Sung hails from Houston, Tex. As a young child, Helen picked out simple melodies from the radio and television on a toy piano. A few years later, her parents got a deal on a used piano and they arranged formal lessons for their daughter.
Having played since she was five years old, Helen was a shoe-in for a spot at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Her skills and talents took her to the University of Texas at Austin where she continued her studies and prepared for a career as a classical pianist. Sung hadn't really experienced jazz until a friend took her to a Harry Connick, Jr. concert and she heard him play several piano solos. She'd never heard anything like it and realized that the classical music she was playing wasn't nearly as exciting.
Sung immediately enrolled in various jazz classes and workshops in the UT music department and began listening to as much jazz as she could. Though she continued her classical studies and received an MA from UT as a classical player, her acceptance into a brand new jazz education program sealed her fate as a jazz musician. The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, then located at the New England Conservatory of Music, accepted 7 students in its first year and Helen was chosen as the pianist. The group studied with Barry Harris, Sir Roland Hanna, David Baker and Ron Carter, the artistic director for the Institute. They had the opportunity to perform with Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, James Moody and Wynton Marsalis.
After leaving the Institute, Helen took on the Boston Jazz scene and found herself on local television shows and at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Helen moved to New York and she began working with jazz musicians such as Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Regina Carter and Lonnie Plexico. She's also recorded two albums as a leader - Push and Helenistique. She remains actively involved in jazz education teaching master classes, working with the Newark Boys Choir, and partnering with inner city school kinds through JazzReach, a non profit organization devoted to the "promotion, creation, teaching and performance of jazz music."
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Set List for Helen Sung on Piano Jazz:Hope Springs Eternally (Sung)
You've Changed (Carey, Fischer)
Portrait of Rachel Carson (McPartland)
Someday My Prince Will Come (Churchill, Morey)
On A Clear Day (Burton, Lerner)
Sweet and Lovely (Arnheim, Daniels, Tobias)
With You In Mind (McPartland)
Cotton Tail (Ellington)
Having played since she was five years old, Helen was a shoe-in for a spot at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Her skills and talents took her to the University of Texas at Austin where she continued her studies and prepared for a career as a classical pianist. Sung hadn't really experienced jazz until a friend took her to a Harry Connick, Jr. concert and she heard him play several piano solos. She'd never heard anything like it and realized that the classical music she was playing wasn't nearly as exciting.
Sung immediately enrolled in various jazz classes and workshops in the UT music department and began listening to as much jazz as she could. Though she continued her classical studies and received an MA from UT as a classical player, her acceptance into a brand new jazz education program sealed her fate as a jazz musician. The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, then located at the New England Conservatory of Music, accepted 7 students in its first year and Helen was chosen as the pianist. The group studied with Barry Harris, Sir Roland Hanna, David Baker and Ron Carter, the artistic director for the Institute. They had the opportunity to perform with Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, James Moody and Wynton Marsalis.
After leaving the Institute, Helen took on the Boston Jazz scene and found herself on local television shows and at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Helen moved to New York and she began working with jazz musicians such as Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Regina Carter and Lonnie Plexico. She's also recorded two albums as a leader - Push and Helenistique. She remains actively involved in jazz education teaching master classes, working with the Newark Boys Choir, and partnering with inner city school kinds through JazzReach, a non profit organization devoted to the "promotion, creation, teaching and performance of jazz music."
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Helen Sung on Piano Jazz: