Jazz in the Forest series continues with ‘An Evening of Piazzolla’

The Volcano Art Center’s Jazz in the Forest series continues 5:30 to 7 p.m., Saturday, July 9, at Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The evening features Melanie Oldfather and Jean Pierre Thoma highlighting “An Evening of Piazzolla”

The music of Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla will be featured in a program of 16 tangos conveying a range of moods and emotions from birth (Naissance) to the end of life (Todo Fue) in arrangements for piano and flute in Piazzolla’s Tango Nuevo style.

Thoma is a professional musician on flute, saxophone, clarinet, and piano, with experience performing throughout America, France, Japan, India and Israel. He holds two master’s degrees in music and has been a school teacher as well as a member of numerous jazz and classical ensembles.

Active in East Hawaii since 1996, Oldfather taught voice and music at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, where she accompanied the choirs under Ken Staton, Any Horst, and Matthew Howell. She was a founding member of Kanilehua Chorale and was its music director for five years. An accomplished singer, Melanie has soloed with the Waimea, Kona and Hilo choral groups.

Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $30 for nonmembers and $25 for VAC members and are available for sale at www.volcanoartcenter.org, or at VAC’s Administration Office in Volcano Village, 808-967-8222.

Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus is located at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road in Volcano Village.