Performers

Musical prodigy Grace Kelly has left an indelible mark on the jazz landscape. As a singer, saxophonist, songwriter, and bandleader, she boasts 13 albums, electrifying performances at venues like the Hollywood Bowl, and an appearance at Barack Obama’s inauguration. Before hitting her mid-twenties, she also graced the stage as part of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” house band. Recognized nine times in the Downbeat Magazines Critics Poll as the “Rising Star Alto Saxophone” from age seventeen, she set the record as the youngest saxophonist to achieve this. Her songwriting prowess shines, with accolades like “Song of the Year” in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, multiple ASCAP Composer Boston Music Awards, and International Songwriting Awards.

Vanity Fair spotlighted Grace as a millennial revolutionizing jazz. Her unique blend of electro jazz-pop and innovative digital content aligns her with fusion icons like Jon Batiste and Esperanza Spalding. Not only captivating live audiences, Grace has redefined her stardom online, creating immersive experiences for fans across social platforms. With consistent, engaging posts, she’s transitioned from a virtuosic musician to a cultural icon, amassing millions of views.

• gracekellymusic.com
• facebook.com/gracekellymusic
• instagram.com/gkellymusic
• youtube.com/gracekellymusic

Recognized for his ability to forge personal connections with audiences, Korean French-American violinist Ignace Jang has performed throughout the United States, South America, Asia and Europe in venues such as the Tokyo Bunkamura Hall, the Seoul Arts Center and Paris Théatre des Champs-Elysées. Solo and chamber music appearances  include the Hawaii Symphony, Colorado Symphony, the Versailles Chamber Orchestra, l’Orchestre Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, Berlioz, Trièves, Chirens and Jeju Isle Music Festivals. A featured artist of the Music Teachers National Association, Jang recently released a CD of new music with Ebb & Flow Arts and recently collaborated with pianists Jon Nakamatsu, Jon Kimura Parker, violinists Chee-Yun, Hilary Hahn, cellist  Franz Helmerson and ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro. He is currently the concertmaster of the Hawaiʻi Symphony and Britt Festival Orchestras, and a faculty member of the Music Department at the University of Hawaii Mānoa and the Punahou School.

Jang is a featured artist in filmmaker Jinyoung Won’s Songs of Love, a critically  acclaimed musical documentary series that tell stories of sacrifice, love, and unbreakable  bonds of the first Korean immigrants in Hawaii.

An equally dedicated educator, Jang spends much of his time ensuring the success of future generations through his various endeavors. “It is the time you have lost for your flower that makes her so important,” says St. Exupéry’s Little Prince. Jang tries to honor those words in his teachings year-round, to students from all walks of life. The former director of the String Program at the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, Jang is currently  overseeing the Solo & String Program of the Pacific Music Institute, a summer camp founded by the Hawaii Youth Symphony.

Jang was a grand prize winner at the Rodolfo Lipizer International Violin Competition, Italy, where he was also the recipient of the Jury’s Special Prize for outstanding musical personality. He received the early part of his training from Professor Flora Elphege, before entering the Premier Prix as the youngest laureate of that year. Various grants from the Franco-American Commission and the French Ministry of the Culture allowed him to further his studies under the tutelage of Franco Gulli at Indiana  University.

Born to Korean parents in Grenoble France, Jang met the violin at the age of five. He grew up listening to the legendary violin virtuosos of the past, nurturing respect for  the individuality of their artistry and mastery of their instrument. He later discovered musical genres outside the classical realm and became appreciative of the array of  emotions they conveyed. The music of the Americas, ranging from the sixties pop tunes of Detroit to the Argentinean tangos of Piazzolla is of special interest to him. In his  playing, he strives to express a similar spectrum of feelings while unfolding a unique color and depth of sound for which he has seen praise in the American, European and  Asian Press.

Pianist <strong>Christine Suehisa-Jang </strong>was born and raised in Honolulu,  Hawai’i. She recently collaborated in Jinyoung Won’s Songs of Love  Episode 1, a music documentary recounting the hardship of the first Korean  immigrants to the islands. The film received critical acclaim for its  evocative and moving soundtrack.

Suehisa-Jang has performed in the U.S., Japan, the Baltic and France.  She is a dedicated pedagogue and has enjoyed teaching piano for over three  decades, from New York’s Henry Street Settlement to her own music  studio.

A winner of the Honolulu Symphony Youth Talent Pool, she credits  Vladimir Ashkenazy for inspiring her after performing at his masterclass.  She vividly remembers her early days with mentors Jeanette Chun and  Ellen Masaki, before earning her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at  the NYC Juilliard School under the tutelage of Martin Canin, Daniel Pollack  and Seymour Lipkin.