Schedule of Events

Thursday, April 3 at 7:30 PM

The Pershounin Quartet

Museum of American Arts and Crafts Movement

Bassist Alex Pershounin brings his world-class Pershounin Quartet to St. Petersburg for a unique concert of his original compositions inspired from Latin, Jazz, World and Folk music. Artists on this concert include Alex Pershounin (bass), José Valentino (flute& percussion), Silviu Ciulei (acoustic guitar) and Derris Lee (drums & percussion). The program includes works like "Tales of the East" transporting the audience into the West African polyrhythmic environment, exploring multiple meters and microtonal melodies inspired by the mugham techniques of the Azerbaijani tradition."Song for Daniel" draws upon the rhythmically driving texture of the Brazilian samba while “Chernie” is inspired by Russian folk music fusing improvisation with progressive tempo acceleration and intensity.

Alexander Pershounin has been hailed as a versatile virtuoso bassist equally fluent in classical, jazz, and commercial music settings. He has performed on Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Pori Jazz Festival in Finland, Europe’s Jazz Contest in Belgium, and New Orleans Jazz Fest, among many others. His performing credits include Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Bob Berg and Ray Charles to Itzhac Perlman and Yo Yo Ma. He also has recorded several commercially released albums as a soloist and ensemble musician. Dr. Pershounin teaches bass at the University of Florida.

Celebrated for his cross-genre versatility and renowned as a premier multi-instrumentalist, José Valentino joins the MAACM as a flutist and percussionist. The world’s most awarded global music flutist, Valentino has performed across Latin America, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Europe, Africa, the U.S., the Caribbean, and Canada. A multi-Latin GRAMMY Award winner and nominee, he was most recently nominated for 2024 Best Instrumental Album of the Year for Claude Bolling Goes Latin. Dr. Valentino is co-chair of Music Business and Entrepreneurship program at the University of Florida.

LATIN GRAMMY award artist, Silviu Octavian Ciulei, was born in Constanta, Romania. Silviu has been a top prizewinner in some of the world’s most prestigious competitions including Guitar Foundation of America’s International Concert Artist Competition, Schadt String Competition, and Parkening International Guitar Competition in Malibu, CA. Silviu is also an acclaimed flamenco guitarist having studied flamenco in Andalucia, Spain. Silviu speaks five languages fluently, is chief editor for Guitar Magazine Online, and is a flamenco singer/lead guitarist with the Maharajah Flamenco Trio. Dr. Ciulei is currently Director of Guitar Studies at the University of Florida.

Derris Lee’s diverse journey in the music industry as drummer, percussionist, composer and producer has been adorned with international awards including a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Children’s Album, an ANTHEM Award for Education, Art, & Culture, three AMCP AVA Digital Awards, ten Global Music Awards, 2024 Downbeat Student Music Award and was an Associate Producer for the album, “Rompiendo Fronteras” by Alex Acuña and José Valentino. Derris is currently a Delores Auzenne Research Fellow at the University of South Florida.

Admission is $30 in advance, $35 at the door available at the MAACM website: https://my.museumaacm.org/2495/2860

Date: February 11 - April 3, 2025