Join Joe Farnsworth and Sarah Hanahan in the intimate atmosphere of Pyatt Hall for a jazz masterclass, as these celebrated performers coach jazz combos in front of an audience. Choose to attend in-person, in Pyatt Hall, or view virtually via the VSO’s livestreaming portal.
Tickets are $15 for the general public, and FREE for currently enrolled VSOSoM students. If you are eligible for free tickets, you will receive an email with a code to reserve your place.
Joe Farnsworth Biography
One of the most highly regarded jazz drummers on the scene today, Joe Farnsworth is known for his blazing speed, precision, musical, and melodic playing. Born in South Hadley, Massachusetts in 1968, Joe grew up in a musical family; his father was a music educator and he has four older brothers, two of whom became professional musicians. He studied with Alan Dawson and Arthur Taylor prior to attending and graduating from William Patterson College in New Jersey in 1994 where he began playing with saxophonist, Eric Alexander and guitarist, Peter Bernstein. Upon moving to New York City, he led the weekend jazz combos at Augie’s (now Smoke Jazz & Supper Club). He performed with Junior Cook, Cecil Payne, John Ore, Big John Patton, Harold Mabern, Eddie Henderson, John Jenkins and his brothers, John and James.
Joseph’s career includes recording over 100 CD’s as leader and side-man, jazz festivals and world tours with Pharaoh Sanders, Horace Silver, Harold Mabern, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Diana Krall, Benny Golson, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Lou Donaldson, Benny Green, Barry Harris, Curtis Fuller to name a few. He is currently the drummer for McCoy Tyner and a member of the Pharaoh Sanders Quartet, Harold Mabern Trio, and is a founding member of the renowned One for All Quintet.
Sarah Hanahan Biography
Sarah Hanahan is an up-and-coming jazz saxophonist in New York City. Sarah is a graduate of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School of Music where she received her Bachelors degree in 2019, as well as The Juilliard School where she received her Masters degree in 2022. She has had the privilege of studying with some of the greats of our time including Abraham Burton, Nat Reeves, Steve Davis, Billy Drummond, and Marc Cary.
Recently, Sarah has been working with many renowned musicians including Jeff “Tain” Watts, Nat Reeves, Peter Martin, Steve Davis, Billy Hart, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jason Moran, Marc Cary and many others. Sarah plays regularly with her own band in venues around NYC such as Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, Smoke Jazz Club, Birdland Jazz Club, The Django, and more. She also recently had the opportunity to play for the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert at the Kennedy Center honoring Sue Mingus with the Mingus Dynast Band. Sarah tours both nationwide and internationally with Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y, Sherrie Miracle and the Diva Orchestra, Joe Farnsworth, and the Grammy award-winning Mingus Big Band.
Sarah was recently featured in the first-ever class of NPR Jazz Night in America’s Youngbloods. The series features “five up-and-coming jazz geniuses who are revolutionizing their genre” – all of whom are under the age of 30.