Masterclass with Gideon Forbes

Osher School of Music alumni, Gideon Forbes, presents a masterclass and performance with his band, the Gideon Forbes Quartet. This masterclass is free, and limited to the University of Southern Maine community only.

Event Schedule:

Masterclass from 5:30–6:30 P.M.

Performance at 7:30 P.M.

Gideon Forbes is a saxophonist, nay player, composer, and improviser in Brooklyn, New York. He has shared the stage with notable musicians such as Angelica Sanchez, Joe Lovano, Abeer Nehme, and Nibal Malshi. Gideon performs with the New York Arabic Orchestra, Big Beat Big Band, Takht al-Nagham, The Brooklyn Nomads, Habibi Gün, Firas Zreik, Sami Abu Shumays, and Karim Nagi. 

Gideon co-leads Nortonk, which released its eponymous debut album on Biophilia Records in May 2021. In 2023 he started Orchestra Farha, an acoustic-electric ensemble that focuses on 1970’s Arabic music from Egypt and around the Arab world.

As a writer, Gideon’s compositions and arrangements have been performed by Joe Lovano, The University of Arizona Jazz Studio Ensemble , The William Paterson Jazz Orchestra, OURBIGBAND, the Fogcutters, the University of Southern Maine Jazz Orchestra, and Big Beat Big Band. Other highlights include multiple performances on Maine Public Radio’s Friday Night Jazz with Rich Tozier.

Gideon holds a master’s degree from William Paterson University in Jazz Arranging & Composition, where he studied with Jim McNeely, Pete McGuinness, Cecil Bridgewater, and Rich Perry. As a student of Arabic music, he has studied with Bassam Saba, Layth Sidiq, Sami Abu Shumays, and Johnny Farraj. He was also an artist at the 2018 Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music. 

Gideon is available for lessons & workshops in saxophone, improvisation, and composition. He has taught workshops around the United States and abroad. In July 2018 Gideon taught at the Edward Said National Conservatory in Ramallah, Palestine, sponsored by the Muna & Basem Hishmeh Foundation. 

Event Details

Parking

Due to limited resources, parking is not free on our Portland and Gorham campuses. You must purchase a parking permit or paid parking session to park on campus. We recommend reserving your parking in advance at https://events.parkengage.com/usm.

For easy access to the Crewe Center for the Arts, choose either Parking Garage 1 (attached to the Abromson Community Education Center), Lot P1 (off of Bedford St. by Luther Bonney) or Lot P6 (off of Exeter St. or Deering Ave by the former Maine Law building).

Disability Access and Accommodations

If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact Hanna Flewelling at (207) 780-5256 or hanna.flewelling@maine.edu. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.

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