Ben Ferris with Jon Hoel, Darren Sterud, Sahada Buckley, Isabele Krier, Ben Davies Hudson, Aaron Fried, Catherine Harris, Jason Kutz, Michael Koszewski

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Mike Gorski

Ben Ferris

Bassist Ben Ferris is studying for a doctor of musical arts degree at the Mead Witter School of Music, and for this recital has put together an all-star ensemble mixing local jazz players and students. The 10-piece group will be playing a world premiere: Chant for Bass and Small Orchestra, written for the late bassist Richard Davis by pianist and composer Sir Roland Hanna in 1998; it was intended to be performed by Davis and the UW Symphony Orchestra but that concert never took place.

UW Mead Witter School of Music student recital. Free.

media release: Ben Ferris - Bass, DMA Recital

Sir Roland Hanna (1932-2002) is best known as a pianist, having performed and recorded with numerous artists, such as Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He also recorded dozens of records as a leader, especially solo piano and duos with bassists. Hanna was also a prolific composer, with more than 200 compositions published in his catalogue, Rahanna Music Inc. One such composition is Chant for Bass and Small Orchestra, written in 1998 for Hanna’s close friend and frequent musical collaborator Richard Davis (1930-2023). Both musicians had countless performances and recording sessions with artists such as Sarah Vaughan, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, and the Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Orchestra. Hanna and Davis were also professors (Hanna at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in Flushing, NY, and Davis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison) and dedicated educators - Chant was originally proposed to be performed alongside the UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra, though a performance was never realized. 

This performance will be the world premiere of the piece, with some edits made to the original score, notably the reduction of wind parts to piano. While this arrangement was created from a draft of the score (the only version known to exist), utmost care has been taken to preserve the composers intentions. Solo bassist and UW-Madison DMA student Ben Ferris will be joined by an excellent group of musicians:

Jon Hoel, tenor sax

Darren Sterud, conductor and trombone

Sahada Buckley & Isabele Krier, violin

Ben Davies Hudson, viola

Aaron Fried, cello

Catherine Harris, bass

Jason Kutz, piano

Michael Koszewski, drums

The performance is supported by funding from the UW-Madison Division of the Arts Creative Arts Award, and is given in partial fulfillment of Ben Ferris’ DMA degree.