George W. Russell Jr. Presents "My Big Family Suite" Featuring Walter Smith III, Sax, and Chelsey Green, Violin

This concert will celebrate the release of My Big Family Suite, a recording of music written by George W. Russell Jr. It is an 11 movement suite written for members of his family.

This recording project is a celebration of Russell's family, both the family that he grew up in and the family that he conceived with his wife and best friend, Emily Suzanne Russell. He composed a piece of music for each member of his family. Ironically enough, both of his family units have six members. As a result, there are 11 movements included in My Big Family Suite. Russel will be joined by Walter Smith III on saxophone and Dr. Chelsey Green on violin.

George W. Russell Jr. is the chair of the Harmony and Jazz Composition Department at Berklee. Before assuming this position, he served as a professor of harmony and piano. He has been awarded the Ted Pease Award for Excellence in Teaching, along with the Curriculum Development Award for the Writing Division. He has also been recognized with the highest award that Berklee gives to faculty, the Most Distinguished Faculty Award. Russell’s motto is, “I would rather inspire than require.” He is known as a source of encouragement and inspiration to anyone who crosses paths with him.