Esperanza Spalding Appointed to Harvard’s Music Department Faculty

July24,2017:WearepleasedtoreportthatEsperanzaSpaldinghasjoinedthe

facultyoftheDepartmentofMusicatHarvardUniversityasProfessorofthePractice,

withanappointmentbeginningJuly2017.Spaldingwillteacharangeofcoursesin

songwriting,arranging,improvisationandperformance,whilealsobringingher

commitmenttomusicasavoiceforsocialjustice.

Four-timeGrammyaward-winner,jazzbassist,singer-songwriter,lyricist,

humanitarianactivist,andeducator,Spaldinghasfiveacclaimedsoloalbumsand

numerousmusicvideostohername.Sheisrecognizedinternationallyforher

virtuosicsingingandbassplaying,herimpassionedimprovisatoryperformances,

hersingularartisticvisiondrawingfromadazzlingstylisticrange,andherbrilliant

creativecapacitiesasbothacomposerandlyricist.Spalding’sartisticpractice

involvesauniquesynthesisofelementsandaestheticsfromjazz,fusion,rock,funk,

soul,R&B(rhythmandblues),andBrazilianmusicaltraditions,aswellastheatrical

elementsandlyricalstorytelling.Sheisacreativeartistandperformer

simultaneously,andshestandsapartfortheintelligenceanddeepsenseof

humanitythatinfuseshercreativeendeavors.Perhapshermosticonic

performancesarethoseforwhichshewasthelaureate-invitedsingerandbassistat

theNobelPeacePrizeCeremonyandsubsequentconcert,whenPresidentBarack

ObamawonthePeacePrizein2009—aninvitationthattestifiestoherstatusasa

nationaltreasurewithglobalresonance.

InadditiontoherGrammys,shehasbeentherecipientofsuchother

prestigiousawardsastheNAACPImageAwardforOutstandingJazzArtist,Boston

MusicAwardforJazzArtistoftheYear,SmithsonianAmericanIngenuityAwardfor

thePerformingArts,SoulTrainMusicAwardforBestContemporaryJazz

Artist/Group,FridaKahloAwardforInnovativeCreativity,andASCAPFoundation

JazzVanguardAward.Asapassionateeducator,shetaughtbassinprivatelessons,

ensemblesandclassesatBerkleeCollegeofMusicfrom2005–2008immediatelyon

theheelsofgraduatingfromtherewithaBachelorofMusic.Sincethen,shehasbeen

inhighdemandasanArtistinResidenceandMasterclassleader,includingteaching

attheBanffCentreforArtsandCreativityinCanada.

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