Jazz Guitarist Makes Encore Visit to Utah State University

Back in September 2000, Utah State University faculty member Mike Christiansen said he rarely brought guitarists back to Logan for a second visit, but he was about to do just that. Seven years later he is repeating himself, and with the same guitarist.

Jazz guitarist Jack Petersen, who conducted workshops and performed at USU in 1999 and again in 2000, returns to campus for a third time at Christiansen’s invitation.

 

Petersen is featured in concert Thursday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Performance Hall on the USU campus. He will be joined by Christiansen on guitar and Lars Yorgeson on bass. Admission is $5, and tickets are available the evening of the concert at the Performance Hall. Advance reservations can be made by calling Christiansen’s office extension, (435) 797-3011. Leave a name and number of tickets needed. Tickets will be held at the Performance Hall Box Office until 15 minutes prior to performance.

 

Petersen will also provide a clinic Wednesday, Feb. 28, in the Chase Fine Arts Center room 222 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Members of the public are welcome.

 

In a 2000 press release, Christiansen said USU and the guitar program had hosted a number of great performers, and not many made return visits — but there were two great reasons to bring back Jack Petersen.

 

“He’s not only a great player, he’s a great teacher,” Christiansen said at the time. “He can do or play something and then he is able to tell students what he is doing and how it is done.”

 

Petersen is best known for his traditional and swing jazz playing.

 

“He will bring those elements to his concert, but he will also play a variety of styles ranging from French gypsy jazz to Latin,” Christiansen said.

 

Christiansen said that audiences and students alike are in for a treat with this repeat visit.

 

Petersen is known as a guitarist, pianist, master teacher, performer and clinician.

 

His career includes a 12-year stint at North Texas State University School of Music in Denton, Tex., as a resident artist. There he taught guitar, improvisation and lab band. He also was resident artist and associate professor at the University of North Florida School of Music in Jacksonville, Fla. There he taught guitar, improvisation and combos (duos/trios, small bands). It was in Florida that Christiansen’s son, Cory, studied with Petersen.

 

Additional teaching credits include the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., where he was chairman of the music department for three years.

 

Petersen is the author of two text books on the subject of improvisation. He also served on the faculties of a number of clinics and camps, including the Stan Kenton clinics, the National Stage Band clinics, Jamey Aebersold Combo camps, Clark Terry Summer Jazz Camp, the Rich Matteson Summer Jazz Camp and he was a faculty member of the summer music camps in Sweden for three years.

 

Petersen’s numerous performance credits include appearances with the Dallas and Fort Worth symphonies, Stan Kenton, Doc Severinsen, Art Van Damme, Nancy Wilson and countless other jazz legends.

 

For more information on Petersen’s visit, contact Christiansen at USU at (435) 797-3011.

 

Contact: Mike Christiansen (435) 797-3011