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Schaefer Center Presents Herbie Hancock, Feb. 13

By Hailey Blevins

Legendary pianist and composer Herbie Hancock is set to perform at The Schaefer Center on February 13. He is considered a true icon of modern music by many.

Hancock was born in Chicago in 1940 and quickly became a child piano prodigy, performing a Mozart piano concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11. His love for music only grew from there, as he began playing jazz in high school, influenced by Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans. Hancock then double-majored in music and electrical engineering at Grinnell College before being discovered by Donald Byrd in 1960.

Hancock spent two years in session work with Byrd, as well as with Phil Woods and Oliver Nelson. And in 1963, his debut album, ‘Takin’ Off,’ was an immediate success.

Outside of performing and recording, Hancock maintains a career as Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and as Institute Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. He is also a founder of The International Committee of Artists for Peace, and was recently awarded the much esteemed “Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres” by French Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

Now Hancock is in the sixth decade of his professional life, and he remains at the forefront of culture, technology, business and music. He has received an Academy Award and 14 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.

To purchase your ticket to Herbie Hancock’s performance at Appalachian State University, visit http://theschaefercenter.org/events/id/5/  or call 800-841-2787 or 828=262-4046. Tickets are $50 for staff, $45 for faculty/staff and $25 for student/child. To receive an Appstate faculty/staff discount, you must purchase tickets at the box office or by phone, as the discount cannot be applied to online orders.