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FREE Courtroom Concert: Steve Cole, saxophone & Ora Itkin, piano

Thursday, February 20, 12:00PM

Landmark Center Courtroom 317

Hosted by composer Abbie Betinis, our popular Courtroom Concerts take place at noon most Thursdays in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. This series features accomplished musicians and composers from the Twin Cities and surrounding area, as well as occasional musical newcomers to the area. These one-hour concerts are free and open to the public.

About the Artists:

Steve Cole is a highly acclaimed recording artist, educator, and clinician, renowned for his dynamic performances and contributions to contemporary music. Over his illustrious career, he has graced some of the most prestigious stages in the world, including the Hollywood Bowl, Benaroya Symphony Hall, Bass Performance Hall, and the Chicago Symphony Center. Steve has also been a featured performer at premier events such as the JVC, Playboy, and Blue Note Jazz Festivals, as well as at performing arts centers and festivals globally.

Steve’s journey as a recording artist began in 1998 when he signed with Atlantic Records, marking the start of a prolific career that spans over two decades. Across his 11 subsequent releases on labels such as Atlantic, Warner Brothers, EMI/Blue Note, and Mack Avenue/Artistry, he has achieved multiple national radio hits, amassed tens of millions of streams, and sold hundreds of thousands of albums. His artistry has earned him coverage in prominent publications, including Alternative Press, Jazz Times, Radio & Records, and Billboard.

In addition to his solo work, Steve has collaborated with a diverse roster of celebrated artists, including Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, Larry Carlton, Jeff Lorber, Jim Peterik, Freddie Cole, Cyrus Chestnut, and KMFDM. His talent as a soloist has been showcased with renowned ensembles such as the City of Prague Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, further solidifying his reputation as a versatile and accomplished musician.

Beyond his achievements as a performer and recording artist, Steve is a dedicated educator and thought leader in the field of music industry. He currently serves as Senior Clinical Professor of Music Industry at the University of St. Thomas, where he shares his expertise with the next generation of industry professionals. He is also an active recording artist under the Mack Avenue/Artistry record label and a writer with Universal Music Publishing.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a Doctorate from the University of St. Thomas.

Russia-born pianist, Ora Itkin, began her piano studies at age four under the guidance of her father, Igor Itkin, who became known as one of the pioneers of subversive Russian jazz. She is a graduate of the Russian Academy of Music, Moscow, Russia; Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; and Rubin Academy of Music at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. In her musicianship she follows the legacy of her teachers who belong to the lineage of the legendary Heinrich Neuhaus school of piano playing.

An active concert pianist and chamber musician, she performs in some of the major venues across the Twin Cities as well as internationally in Eastern and Central Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Ms. Itkin is a faculty member at both the Music Department of University of St. Thomas and MacPhail Center for Music. She also a founder of Reprise School of Piano and Musicianship in Saint Paul, Minnesota and an artistic director of a multi-disciplinary music series entitled Muse Salon, with successful programs since 2009 at The Schubert Club, the Weisman Art Museum, the University of Minnesota and the Alliance Française. For years Ms. Itkin was serving as the curator of a multilingual festival entitled Worlds between Words at the University of Minnesota.

As an educator and a life-long advocate of a holistic approach to learning, Ms. Itkin seeks to promote an interconnectedness of music with the arts, humanities, and sciences in everything she does, especially in her original multimedia productions ArtAffects, cultural ambassadorship initiatives, interdisciplinary seminars and presentations, and individual work with students of all ages