Brian Friedland & Catherine Bent at The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts And Cultural Center

Since meeting as students at New England Conservatory in 2007, Brian and Catherine have collaborated on several projects in various styles of music. This concert is their first as a duo, and will feature imaginative arrangements of American songbook classics, Brazilian songs, and original music for piano and cello.

Composer/pianist Brian Friedland‘s relentless creative spirit is quickly evident from his frequent participation in Boston’s creative music scene, repertoire from diverse strands of jazz traditions, and prolific output as a composer. Performing and writing for a wide variety of ensembles, his projects reflect his love of many kinds of music and his commitment finding new ways to create. His hundreds of compositions include a large collection of big band charts, an orchestral composition, dozens of chamber works, and music for jazz ensembles of many aesthetics and sizes. Grammy nominated composer, USC faculty member, and musical collaborator Kim Richmond describes Friedland’s music as “not only professional quality material, but inspirationally crafted, an excellent and interesting mix of art works.” Friedland has been commissioned by numerous individuals and organizations. Most notably, the American Composer’s Orchestra commissioned him to “Dreamscapes,” in an effort to bring jazz composers and the orchestral world into closer collaboration. Other recent commissions have come from the Boston-based Composer’s Sax Quartet and the Longy School of Music’s American Music Ensemble. Friedland also composes for several ensembles of his own, ranging in size from a jazz trio to a 20-piece big band, and has performed at nearly every live music venue in Boston. He has also performed his original music at the Panama JazzFest, Lima Jazz Festival, the American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter competition, and in prestigious clubs across the US. ...

read more

Since meeting as students at New England Conservatory in 2007, Brian and Catherine have collaborated on several projects in various styles of music. This concert is their first as a duo, and will feature imaginative arrangements of American songbook classics, Brazilian songs, and original music for piano and cello.

Composer/pianist Brian Friedland‘s relentless creative spirit is quickly evident from his frequent participation in Boston’s creative music scene, repertoire from diverse strands of jazz traditions, and prolific output as a composer. Performing and writing for a wide variety of ensembles, his projects reflect his love of many kinds of music and his commitment finding new ways to create. His hundreds of compositions include a large collection of big band charts, an orchestral composition, dozens of chamber works, and music for jazz ensembles of many aesthetics and sizes. Grammy nominated composer, USC faculty member, and musical collaborator Kim Richmond describes Friedland’s music as “not only professional quality material, but inspirationally crafted, an excellent and interesting mix of art works.” Friedland has been commissioned by numerous individuals and organizations. Most notably, the American Composer’s Orchestra commissioned him to “Dreamscapes,” in an effort to bring jazz composers and the orchestral world into closer collaboration. Other recent commissions have come from the Boston-based Composer’s Sax Quartet and the Longy School of Music’s American Music Ensemble. Friedland also composes for several ensembles of his own, ranging in size from a jazz trio to a 20-piece big band, and has performed at nearly every live music venue in Boston. He has also performed his original music at the Panama JazzFest, Lima Jazz Festival, the American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter competition, and in prestigious clubs across the US.

Catherine Bent, cellist and composer, was born in London, England and made a name for herself in New York City as a an artist of great versatility, performing in Broadway shows and downtown at venues like the Knitting Factory and Galapagos. W
hile active as a classical musician, she has also toured and performed with Cirque du Soleil, Enya, Joe Jackson, Greg Osby, Lee Konitz, Donna Summer and Kanye West, and has credits as a side musician and arranger on dozens of pop, jazz, and world music recordings. Catherine performs regularly in Rio de Janeiro and has made appearances on Brazil’s Rádio Nacional as guest soloist with legendary choro group Conjunto Época de Ouro. She plays cello in the Axis Electric Strings, Midnight Sun, Elis Roseira & Catherine Bent, the Macayú Trio and Quebra Tudo! and she plays percussion in the Brazilian folkloric dance band Forró Zabumbeca. Catherine is on the faculty of Berklee College of Music, where she teaches in four departments and brings her love of chamber music, improvisation and mixed styles into the classroom.

show less