Perlman Music Program alumni get ‘Bach to Jazz’ in benefit concert

Friday
Dec 15, 2017 at 12:14 AM Dec 15, 2017 at 12:14 AM

Sean Lee and Peter Dugan peform “Bach to Jazz” Dec. 20

By Susan Rife
Correspondent

Sean Lee and Peter Dugan met in 2003 when they were “littles” — young teenagers — in the Perlman Music Program’s six-week summer residency for teenage string musicians and pianists on Shelter Island, New York. Lee played violin and Dugan piano. 

“Our first collaborations were jamming on jazz tunes,” said Lee, now 30. “I would grab a guitar, our violist friend would grab a bass, and Peter would be at the piano.” 

A decade and a half later, their musical affinity would result in a CD, “Songbird,” and this week, in a concert performance called “Bach to Jazz” to open the Perlman Music Program/Suncoast’s 14th annual winter residency on the campus of USF Sarasota-Manatee. Their program will include selections from the CD as well as music by Bach, Schubert and Paganini. 

“It’s kind of a play on words of the American songbook, popular and jazz standards, but the rest of the CD is transcriptions of songs from different centuries and different countries, the common theme being the beauty of a melody,” said Dugan. “We’re really excited to present some of those pieces alongside Schubert’s ‘Fantasy,’ which is the largest work on the program. It’s fitting that Schubert is featured in the ‘Songbook’ program because Schubert is a songbird at heart. You’ll hear the songful quality of his works.” 

Dugan and Lee took their friendship from PMP on to their years at Juilliard but also continued their affiliation with the Perlman program as students and later as part of the faculty. They have performed together at the Sarasota Opera House for PMP and for the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota.

Lee is the 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and has developed a YouTube series, “Paganini POV,” in which perspectives and insights into violin playing are explored through Lee’s wearing of a GoPro camera while performing the Paganini “Caprices.” He teaches in the Pre-College Division at the Juilliard School and in the Perlman Music Program. 

Dugan, also a faculty member at Juilliard, debuted at the Kennedy Center with baritone John Brancy and has performed around the world, including duets with Itzhak Perlman and Joshua Bell at memorial concerts for Marvin Hamlisch in New York. 

The Perlman program is led by Toby Perlman and her husband, Itzhak, the internationally famous violinist and conductor. For two and a half weeks, 35 string musicians between the ages of 12 and 20 receive intensive training and perform at open-to-the-public orchestra and chorus rehearsals, master classes, works-in-progress recitals and the annual Celebration Concert at the Opera House. 

Both Lee and Dugan can’t speak highly enough of the program that nurtured their early musicianship. 

“I’ve really been a groupie of the program everywhere,” said Lee, who grew up in Los Angeles but has spent nearly every summer and winter in the two Perlman programs. 

“The first thing is the faculty,” he said. “It’s just an outstanding faculty and I think for any young person, it’s really important to be surrounded by other talented and interested young people. When you go someplace like PMP, every kid there is sort of a star from their hometown. You gather and see all these talents and you feel like you have all these peers, and it challenges you. It’s the kind of thing that really energizes you for the rest of the year.” 

Dugan described the Perlman program as one of a kind. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it in the sense that it’s totally noncompetitive and the students are completely supportive and encouraging of each other. The focus is truly about the joy of music making, and making music together with people you care about,” he said. “It’s a beautiful thing and a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of other elements of the industry that are focused on the less savory elements of the industry.” 

The Perlmans have “created a real paradise for young people there,” Dugan said. “What I see as PMP students get older is that there’s an optimism and a positivity in the way they approach music and their career that I find very encouraging and refreshing.” 

Friday
Dec 15, 2017 at 12:14 AM Dec 15, 2017 at 12:14 AM

Sean Lee and Peter Dugan peform “Bach to Jazz” Dec. 20

By Susan Rife
Correspondent

Sean Lee and Peter Dugan met in 2003 when they were “littles” — young teenagers — in the Perlman Music Program’s six-week summer residency for teenage string musicians and pianists on Shelter Island, New York. Lee played violin and Dugan piano. 

“Our first collaborations were jamming on jazz tunes,” said Lee, now 30. “I would grab a guitar, our violist friend would grab a bass, and Peter would be at the piano.” 

A decade and a half later, their musical affinity would result in a CD, “Songbird,” and this week, in a concert performance called “Bach to Jazz” to open the Perlman Music Program/Suncoast’s 14th annual winter residency on the campus of USF Sarasota-Manatee. Their program will include selections from the CD as well as music by Bach, Schubert and Paganini. 

“It’s kind of a play on words of the American songbook, popular and jazz standards, but the rest of the CD is transcriptions of songs from different centuries and different countries, the common theme being the beauty of a melody,” said Dugan. “We’re really excited to present some of those pieces alongside Schubert’s ‘Fantasy,’ which is the largest work on the program. It’s fitting that Schubert is featured in the ‘Songbook’ program because Schubert is a songbird at heart. You’ll hear the songful quality of his works.” 

Dugan and Lee took their friendship from PMP on to their years at Juilliard but also continued their affiliation with the Perlman program as students and later as part of the faculty. They have performed together at the Sarasota Opera House for PMP and for the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota.

Lee is the 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and has developed a YouTube series, “Paganini POV,” in which perspectives and insights into violin playing are explored through Lee’s wearing of a GoPro camera while performing the Paganini “Caprices.” He teaches in the Pre-College Division at the Juilliard School and in the Perlman Music Program. 

Dugan, also a faculty member at Juilliard, debuted at the Kennedy Center with baritone John Brancy and has performed around the world, including duets with Itzhak Perlman and Joshua Bell at memorial concerts for Marvin Hamlisch in New York. 

The Perlman program is led by Toby Perlman and her husband, Itzhak, the internationally famous violinist and conductor. For two and a half weeks, 35 string musicians between the ages of 12 and 20 receive intensive training and perform at open-to-the-public orchestra and chorus rehearsals, master classes, works-in-progress recitals and the annual Celebration Concert at the Opera House. 

Both Lee and Dugan can’t speak highly enough of the program that nurtured their early musicianship. 

“I’ve really been a groupie of the program everywhere,” said Lee, who grew up in Los Angeles but has spent nearly every summer and winter in the two Perlman programs. 

“The first thing is the faculty,” he said. “It’s just an outstanding faculty and I think for any young person, it’s really important to be surrounded by other talented and interested young people. When you go someplace like PMP, every kid there is sort of a star from their hometown. You gather and see all these talents and you feel like you have all these peers, and it challenges you. It’s the kind of thing that really energizes you for the rest of the year.” 

Dugan described the Perlman program as one of a kind. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it in the sense that it’s totally noncompetitive and the students are completely supportive and encouraging of each other. The focus is truly about the joy of music making, and making music together with people you care about,” he said. “It’s a beautiful thing and a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of other elements of the industry that are focused on the less savory elements of the industry.” 

The Perlmans have “created a real paradise for young people there,” Dugan said. “What I see as PMP students get older is that there’s an optimism and a positivity in the way they approach music and their career that I find very encouraging and refreshing.” 

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