The goal of this workshop is to guide students to expand their individual musical narrative by integrating influences from contemporary classical music, irregular rhythms, Afro-Cuban polyrhythm and avant-garde improvisation into their musical vocabulary, to transcend their musical stylistic limits. During the class, Cuban teaching artist Aruán Ortiz will emphasize the use and embellishment of rhythmic, polyrhythmic patterns and permutations; as a melodic material during the process of improvisation and real time composition. Participants will engage in discussion about harmonic expansion and control of phrasing, to achieve a personal sound and original perspective. Attention will be paid to the importance of developing exercises to build musical structures using different harmonic and melodic systems, and music analysis.

Pianist, violist, and composer Aruán Ortiz—born in Santiago de Cuba, and resident of Brooklyn—has been an active figure in the progressive jazz and avant-garde scene in the US for more than 15 years.

Since his arrival in the United States, Aruán has played, toured, and recorded with jazz luminaries such as Wadada Leo Smith, Don Byron, Greg Osby, Wallace Roney, Nicole Mitchell, Cameron Brown, Michael Formanek, William Parker, Adam Rudolph, Andrew Cyrille, Henry Grimes, Marshall Allen, Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, RufusReid, Graham Haynes, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Nasheet Waits. He has also collaborated with choreographers Jose Mateo, Danis Mora, and Milena Zullo; filmmakers Ben Chace, Mariona Lloreta, and Monica Rovira; poets Abiodun Oyewole from The Last Poets; writer/poet/ filmmaker Mtume Gant; DJ Logic and Val Jeanty Inc.; and renowned German writers Angelika Hentschel and Anna Breitenbach.

Aruán’s pianism has been lauded as “a solid and unique new sound in today’s jazz world.” and his albums have been featured in major publications worldwide, including JazznMore Swizerland, The Guardian UK, Expresso, The New York Times, DownBeat, JazzTimes, Jazziz, The Boston Globe, Rolling Stone Magazine, Billboard, San Diego Union Tribune, All About Jazz, US, Jazzpodium, Musica Jazz, Il Muro Magazine, Il Corriere della Sera, Jazz Halo, The Ottawa Citizen, and The Irish Times.

Aruán holds an MFA in Music Composition by Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) and has received numerous accolades including South Arts Jazz Road Creative Residency Grant (2021), Jazz Coalition Commission Grant (2020), Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant (2019); the Composer Fellowship Award at Vermont College of Fine Arts (2016); the Doris Duke Impact Awards (2014); the Jerome Foundation Travel & Study Grant (2013); Latin Jazz Corner’s Arranger of the Year (2011) for his contribution on the album, “El Cumbanchero” by flutist Mark Weinstein (Jazzheads, 2011); Jas Hennessy Piano Solo Competition, Montreux, Switzerland (2001); and Best Jazz Interpretation, Festival de Jazz in Vic, Spain (2000).