Donovan Mixon’s ‘Jazz-Play Studio’

Where many are discovering the ‘Jazz Player Within’

About Donovan Mixon

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Teaching

Present: Jazz-Play Studio; Istanbul, Turkey

2000-2006:Istanbul Bilgi University; Istanbul, Turkey
Associate Professor
Performance Ear Training, Improvisation/Ensembles/Guitar

1997-2000: Scuola Di Musica D’insieme/Laboratorio Ear Training; Vignola, Italy.
Director of curriculum, general music, guitar, ear training and ensembles.

1996 – 1997: Associazione per L’Istituto Musicale Opitergium; Pordenone, Italy
Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation

1992 – 1993: Universita’ di Bologna; Discipline delle Arti, Musica, Spettacolo. (D.A.M.S.), Bologna, Italy.
Ear Training for Jazz Music Criticism

1986 - 1992 and 1997: Berklee College of Music; Boston, MA; Associate Professor
Ear Training 1, 2, 3; various ensembles

Lecturer/Clinician

  • Uskadar American School; Istanbul, Turkey
  • Bilkent University; Ankara, Turkey

    • Performance Ear Training and jazz guitar workshops

  • Robert College; Istanbul, Turkey

    • Performance Ear Training workshop

  • Shanghai American School; Shanghai, China

    • Ear Training Workshops with Students and Faculty

  • Berklee College of Music; On the Road Program
    Umbria Jazz Festival, Italy; Santa Fe, NM; Los Angeles, CA
  • Improvisation, Harmony, Guitar, Ensembles
    Jazzschule Basel; Basel Switzerland
  • Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation
    Nuova Accademia di Musica Moderna (N.A.M.M.) Milan, Italy
  • Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation
    Scuola di Musica Moderna Ferrara, Italy
  • Performance Ear Training, Jazz Improvisation
    Montclair State University Montclair, New Jersey
  • Jazz Improvisation
    Il Paese degli Specchi Laboratorio di Sperimentazione Culturale
    San Lazzaro, Bologna, Italy
  • Jazz Improvisation and Performance Ear Training
    Centro Professione Musica (CPM) Milan, Italy

Performance

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Concerts and Festivals as leader

  • Turkey: Istanbul Jazz Festival, Izmir Jazz, Bodrum Jazz, Kas N’ Jazz, Ankara Jazz, Afyon Jazz, Koc University, Koc Alliance Auditorium
  • Italy: Ancona Jazz, Veneto Jazz, Morbegno Jazz, Monticelli Jazz, Maribor (SLO),Birdseye Jazz Club (Swit), Music Empire (Milano), Fano Jazz, Jazz in IT
  • USA: New York; 55 Grand, Red Rooster, Boston; First Night Music Festival, Berklee Performance Center, Charles Playhouse, Marriot Hotel, 1369 Club, Wally’s Jazz Club
  • Performed with:
    George Garzone, Eddie Henderson, Billie Pierce, Alan Dawson, Joe Ford, Mineu Cinelu, Steve Nelson, Tommy Campbell, Lou Soloff, Bob Cranshaw, John Blake, Can Kozlu, Ali Perret
  • Professional Guitarist
    Nancy Wilson, Buddy Rich, Diahann Carroll, Englebert Humperdinck,
    Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley Bassey

Special Projects

  • Present: Jazz-Play Studio; Istanbul, Turkey
  • 2004-2006 Hybrid Project: Acoustic group composed of European and Turkish instruments. Original compositions
  • 2003: “Kas N’ Jazz” International jazz festival. Co-founder and artistic director. Antalya/Kaş, Turkey.
  • 2003: Inscriptions In The Sand Cultural Conference, Cypress (Language Of The Emotions multimedia concert, proposal accepted)

    • Language Of The Emotions Project

  • 2001: Language Of The Emotions: Multi-media concert combining music and literature. Two performances at Koc Alliance Auditorium; Istanbul, Turkey.

Recordings

  • January 2005: CD recording; Donovan Mixon’s Hybrid Project;
    The Dance Of Life DMC Records, Istanbul, Turkey

    • CD Cover 2.jpg
    “Donovan Mixon’s music is a pleasure to listen to with his skillful combination of emotions and diverse genres and a technique that seems to pour from his fingers!” Jazz Mag.jpgZuhal Focan, Jazz Magazine

    ”This music from the beginning glides us through different genres. Instruments that belong to separate musical universes play hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm, mingling together throughout the recording, reminding me of Oregon’s misty, cool and warm sound. But most of all I think of the clear and particular guitar style of Donovan Mixon.” Ayse Tuntuncu, pianist/composer, Istanbul-Turkey

  • 1999: Donovan Mixon; Language Of The Emotions Philology Records
  • 1995: Lee Konitz: Free With Lee; Philology Records
  • 1993: Donovan Mixon: Look Ma, No Hands! Philology Records

Education

  • 1985: Manhattan School of Music; New York, NY
    M.M. in Jazz/Commercial Music, Jazz and Contemporary Composition
  • May 1983: Temple University; Philadelphia, PA
    Graduate studies in Twentieth Century Composition
  • 1978: Jersey City State College; Jersey City, NJ
    B.A. Music Education (K-12) /Classic Guitar
  • Independent Studies; Advanced improvisation:
    Harry Leahey, Dennis Sandoli,
    Ted Dunbar, Charlie Banacos
  • Aesthetic Realism Foundation; New York, NY
    Studies in Aesthetics and Ethics

Publications

  • 2000: Performance Ear Training
  • Advance Music Rottenburg, Germany
  • Scores and parts: original compositions
    Per S.R. and Mercury
    Casa Musicale Tarasconi s.r.l. Publishers Milan, Italy
  • Nine Joe Diorio jazz solo transcriptions
  • 1996-1999: Guitar Club Magazine; Milan, Italy
    Contributing author

Professional Memberships

International Association of Schools of Jazz

Languages:
Italian: fluent
Turkish: in progress

Awards

  • 1989: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
    Jazz Composition Fellowship
  • 1988: Original composition, Culmination
    performed by the Boston Orchestral and Chorale