Jazz Festival Maya West Concert
Date/Time
Date(s) - 02/09/2024
6:30 pm
Location
Sonora High School Auditorium
Categories
TWO CONCERTS
Concert date: Friday, February 9, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Sonora High School Auditorium
Concert date: Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 4 p.m.
Location: The Armory in downtown Sonora
Columbia Jazz Artist Hosts Maya West at Jazz Festival
International Artist Maya West will perform at the Columbia Jazz Artist Series in two concerts on February 9 and 10, along with guest artists Mike Rocha, Jamie Dubberly, Paul Contos, Mark Gee, Clint Day and David Hawkes.
The concert at the Sonora High School Auditorium starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 9 with a $20 admission. The concert at The Armory starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 10 with a $20 admission. Tickets can be purchased at Mountain Bookshop in the Junction Shopping Center and at the door.
Both concerts are part of the annual Jazz Festival where regional high schools perform and hold workshops with professional musicians. The high school performances and workshops will be held on the Columbia College Campus in the Dogwood Forum from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, February 9. There is no admission charge to attend the high school workshops.
Rod Harris is the director of both the Columbia Kicks Big Band and the Jazz Festival.
Maya West was born in Kutaisi, Georgia (formerly part of the USSR), Maya’s journey in the world of music began in her early years. She emigrated to Moscow with her parents and a brother when she was 3 years old. She started her musical education at a young age, attending a music college where she specialized in piano.
Throughout her career, Maya achieved significant recognition in the world of music. She emerged as a winner in numerous musical competitions, both in Russia and internationally.
Some of these include the qualifying competition for “Glory Alley” in Hollywood, the “World Championship of Performing Arts,” “Berliner Perle,” and the “Gnesin Jazz” competition, among others.
In 2013, Maya had the honor of being invited to perform at the New Year celebration hosted by the President of Kazakhstan where she sang a New Year’s song.
In 2016, Maya received an invitation to audition for “The Voice UK” in London. She successfully advanced through three qualifying rounds but faced visa complications that prevented her from participating in the fourth round.
Maya’s talent also led her to special events, such as an appearance at an event dedicated to the visit of Monaco’s Prime Minister, Michel Roger, in Moscow.
Throughout her career, Maya shared the stage with various jazz, rock, and pop bands, performing at numerous events in Moscow and other cities across Russia.
She also demonstrated her versatility by contributing to the scoring of soundtracks for TV series like “Vechny Otpusk” and “Tryukach” and working on advertisement scoring for brands like “Duru,” “Dezal,” and “Haribo.”
Between 2014 and 2016, Maya served as a vocal coach at the radio school Umaker, sharing her expertise with aspiring talents and she also taught vocal lessons to employees at Yandex which is the Russian Google.
Furthermore, Maya collaborated with renowned Russian artists, including Anastasia Stotskaya, Igor Butman, DJ Erik (her elder brother, a popular DJ in Russia and a member of the renowned group ‘Bandera’s’), DJ Valique, Paul B, Roy Young, and Vahtang Beatbox.
Before embarking on her impressive musical journey, Maya worked as a vocal coach at a musical school of Maria Taranova in Moscow nurturing the talents of future musicians.
In 2019, she relocated to the United States on a Green Card and settled in Los Angeles. There, she taught both children and adults vocal lessons. In 2022, she decided to experience life in San Francisco and has since been successfully performing concerts and appearing at various venues and events. She has her own vocal studio where she continues to teach. She is also a resident performer at the jazz club Lyon & Swan.
Currently, Maya is collaborating with the renowned composer Charles Moselle on creating soundtracks for films by Crystal Moselle, a talented director working with HBO and Netflix. In February 2023, Maya held a charity concert in San Francisco that captivated the audience with its beauty and emotional power. She was also invited as a special guest to perform at the grand event “Miss European Universe” in Los Angeles.
Maya’s voice astounds with its incredible power and, at the same time, tender velvety quality, infusing her songs with various shades and overtones that transport the mind to another space. Her musical magic envelops listeners, leaving an unforgettable impression.
