Featuring: Hafez Kotain and Jay Fluellen
Date: Friday, February 7, 2020
Time: 8:00 pm
Location: 3645 Lancaster Avenue, West Philadelphia
Admission: $15 Advance | $20 at Door
Jay Fluellen – Pianist/Composer
Jay Fluellen, D. M. A. is a Philadelphia born musician known as a composer, college professor, educator, accompanist, pianist, singer, and organist/choir director. He has a doctorate in music composition from Temple University in addition to his certification in music from Eastern University. Dr. Fluellen is currently a teacher with the School District of Philadelphia at Northeast High School. He has taught college level courses in the fields of music composition, written and aural theory, music history, piano, and conducting at various local institutions. Since 1997, he has been an organist/choir director at the historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas.
Hafez Kotain – Percussionist
Kotain Kotain is fluent in both Arab and Latin rhythms—a fluency he honed in his native countries of Syria and Venezuela. He is a recipient of the prestigious 2013 Pew Fellowship in the Arts. He began studying the doumbek in Syria at the age of seven, first performed on stage at age nine, and went on to study with master Syrian percussionist Hady Jazan, winning the national percussion competitions in Syria for five consecutive years. In Venezuela he studied percussion at the TMV Institute for Music in Valencia. As Percussion Director, Kotain teaches with Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture throughout the year at schools and in the community. He also teaches a course at the University of Pennsylvania.
