Fearless Performer Joins UA Bands for Final Spring Concerts

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The University of Arkansas Department of Music inside the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences will host Jeff Nelsen in residency from Apr. 19 through 21. During his time on campus, Nelsen will hold a number of events and perform with multiple ensembles.

Jeff Nelsen embodies a collection of skills found in few artists and teachers today. He has excelled in both classical and contemporary music while working with the Canadian Brass, with whom he toured and recorded for over eight years. He is a pioneer of "Fearless Performance," a series of exercises that help musicians overcome their fear of performance.

He currently teaches classes in horn performance and chamber music as the professor of horn at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Nelsen embraces many types pedagogy, including distance learning. He recently gave a lecture over his "Fearless Performance" technique over live video conferencing to a group in the USA while he was working in Tokyo. He is also currently teaching online lessons to students from around the world from his studio in Bloomington. 

Nelsen has performed with dozens of orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Houston, and National Symphonies, Philadelphia and Minnesota Orchestras, and the Canadian and New York City Opera Companies. His musical accomplishments extend far beyond classical ensemble performances, as Nelsen has performed with popular entertainer Barry Manilow, completed two Broadway theatrical runs, and worked on film, television, and video game soundtracks.

The master classes will take place in the Lewis E. Epley, Jr. Band Building and are free to the public. The concerts are presented by the Department of Music as part of the Joy Pratt Markham Series. Admission is $1 for students with a valid University of Arkansas ID and $5 for the general public  

Residency Events  

Master Classes – Janzen Hall, Epley Band Building

• Sunday, April 19, 6-8 p.m.
• Monday, April 20, 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Performance Workshop – Janzen Hall, Epley Band Building

• Tuesday, April 21, 9-11 a.m.

Performances with UA Bands

• Monday, April 20, 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 21, 7:30 p.m.