Commissions | Film/TV/etc.
| Dance | Theater
Residencies | Publications
| Educator | Perfomer
Composer Evan Solot's work has earned accolades and support from such diverse sources as National Endowment for the Arts, Meet The Composer, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation and Duke Ellington. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by some of the country's leading jazz performers, including Randy Brecker, Robin Eubanks, Bob Mintzer, and Mike Stern.
Recent commissions are for orchestras, chamber ensembles, jazz groups, pop recordings, dance and theater. Suite Mississippi, (a multi-media work with orchestra, blues band, gospel choir, vocal soloists, dancers and narrators) celebrating Mississippi's contribution to the development of jazz was premiered in January. Glacier Blue was commissioned as the millennium piece for the state of Alaska. Artists he has collaborated with or composed for include bassist Stanley Clarke, choreographer Judith Jamison, playwright Ntosake Shange, pop diva Bette Midler, and saxophonist Michael Brecker. Evan's music underscores the award-winning documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" and is part of Naxos Records' American Essentials series with the Chestnut Brass. He orchestrated the new NBC Nightly News theme.
As a professional trumpet player, he has performed with the Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Woody Herman bands, and as1st chair trumpet in the orchestras of more than 50 Broadway musicals. He has toured with singers Bette Midler, Burt Bacharach, Frank Sinatra, and Lou Rawls.
As a Fulbright Scholar, he served as a jazz educator consultant in New Zealand, and the USIA honored him with the designation of American Cultural Specialist. He is Chair of the Composition Department at University of the Arts.
Commissions
- Suite Mississippi
A multi-media symphonic jazz piece celebrating Mississippi's contribution to the development of jazz (for orchestra, choir, blues band, horns section, vocal soloists, actors, and dancers).
- Glacier Blue
Concerto for violin and big band, millennium piece for the state of Alaska
- Straight On ‘Til Morning
Joint commission for the Delaware Symphony and the Reading (PA) Symphony
- Bass Concerto
Bass soloist with orchestra and chorus, composed for and premiered by Stanley Clarke
- Nick of Time
For the D'Amico Percussion Ensemble
- American Essentials
Two songs recorded by the Chestnut Brass for Naxos Records' series
- Nepenthe
For the Del'Arte Woodwind Quintet
- Slip Knot
For the contemporary chamber ensemble, Relache
- Magnetic Fields
For the contemporary chamber ensemble, Contrasts
- Waltz for Debbie
UArts Faculty Saxophone Quintet
- A Tribute to the Beatles
Montreux Jazz Festival
In progress: commission for a piece to be performed by Time For Three (string trio) at Andrea Clearfield's Salon
Compositions and Arrangements for Pop and Jazz Artists
Bette Midler, Mel Torme, Ben Vereen, Sister Sledge, Stanley Clarke, Bob Berg,
Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Joey DeFrancesco, Robin Eubanks, Stan Kenton,
Mike Mainieri, Bob Mintzer, Greg Osby, Edward Simon, Mike Stern, Clark Terry,
John Swana
Film, TV, Commercials, Industrials
- Standing in the Shadows of Motown - underscore
- NBC Evening News Theme (new orchestration) - TV
- Comcast Cable - TV
- SRO - TV show theme music
- Ajunta - CD-Rom calling card
- Jones Cable - TV
- Dupont
- David's Bridal
- Liberty Bell Track
- HMO PA
- Echelon Mall
- Burlington Center
- Door World
- Glamour Kitty Litter Deodorant
Dance
- With Us
Collaboration with choreographer Judith Jamison
- Regeneration
For Philadanco
- Motorella
For ISO
- Gotta Dance!
For Dance Affiliates
- Beat
For RiverNorth Dance (Chicago)
- Ghettoscape
For Traci Hall & Company
- Polarities
For DanceTeller
- Reminiscence
For Trina Collins' Painted Bride performance and Russian tour
Theater
- Love Knot
By , one of three American plays selected for performance at the Women's International Playwrights' Conference in Galway, Ireland
- Hamlet
Arden Theatre
- Sparkle
Collaboration with Ntosake Shange for Freedom Theatre
- Coolie High
Freedom Theatre
- Purlie
Freedom Theatre
- Billie Holiday
The Lady Behind the Gardenia - Freedom Theatre
Residencies
- Fulbright Fellowship to New Zealand as jazz educator consultant
- Continental Harmony residency - Juneau, Alaska
- Continental Harmony residency - Gulfport, Mississippi
- Compose Yourself - sponsored by Meet the Composer and Young Audiences and culminating in an educatoral CD-Rom
- Atlantic Center for the Arts - composer residency
- New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra - residency culminating in recording and tour
Publications
- Norton Scores– - transcribed Gerry Mulligan's performance of My
Funny Valentine
- Randy Brecker Solo Transcriptions - special mention
- Duke Ellington, Music Is My Mistress - special mention
- Henry Pleasants, Serious Music - and All That Jazz - special mention
Educator
University of the Arts- Created and instituted curricula:
- Jazz Emphasis Minor
- Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies Performance
- Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies Composition
- Master of Music in Jazz Studies
- Jazz Emphasis Minor
- Served as:
- Chair, Jazz Emphasis
- Head, Jazz Studies
- Chair, Graduate Studies
- Chair, Composition Department
- Chair, Jazz Emphasis
Performer
- First trumpet in the orchestras of more than 50 Broadway shows
- Tours with Bette Midler, Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach, Lou Rawls
- Performed in the Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Woody Herman bands
- Recorded with hundreds of artists in Philadelphia, New York and Boston
Affiliations
- American Composers Forum Advisory Board
- The Recording Academy (Grammys) Board of Governors
- Grammy Review Panel
Selected Recordings
- Glacier Blue (JJC)
- American Essentials Series (Naxos)
- Bette Midler "Songs for the New Depression" (Atlantic)