Acclaimed jazz composer, arranger and teacher Fred Sturm had numerous musical influences in his youth – from the classical music his father played in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to the Beatles he secretly listened to in his bedroom. Now, he’s expanded those influences to include music from all over the globe, which he incorporated into a work called “Migrations,” written for vocalist Bobby McFerrin and the North German Radio Jazz Ensemble. Sturm was in Las Cruces for a residency with the NMSU music department, and came to talk with Intermezzo host Leora Zeitlin about “Migrations,” his approach to composing, his love of teaching, and more. NMSU Jazz Ensemble director Pancho Romero also participates in the conversation.
Jazz composer Fred Sturm explores music from around the world
Leora Zeitlin