Sound & Reason Exclusive
A Night with Hilario Durán at Koerner Hall
Bill King Photography
Big thanks to Koerner Hall’s Mervon Mehta and Barbara Kresk for granting access to Hilario Durán’s Jazz Orchestra rehearsal—a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the inner workings of a master at play. Watching Durán sculpt sound with the precision of a seasoned architect, every chord a pillar, every horn section a grand archway, was nothing short of mesmerizing.
By the time the evening performance rolled in, the full scope of Durán’s genius unfolded in radiant bursts of Afro-Cuban fire. A Grammy and Juno Award-winning pianist, arranger, and composer, Durán doesn't just lead an orchestra—he conducts a conversation, a layered dialogue between tradition and innovation, past and future, rhythm and freedom. Each passage carries the unmistakable weight of history: Dizzy, Chucho, Bebo, and a bit of New Orleans sweat mingling with Havana’s heartbeat.
And now, for the subscribers of Sound & Reason, here’s something special—those moments in photography. The silent frame capturing the kinetic energy of sound, the flicker of concentration in a soloist’s eyes, the sweeping command of a conductor whose every gesture ripples through the brass, reeds, and skins. It’s all here—time suspended, sound made visible.
Stay tuned. More to come. (Colleen Allen/Kelly Jefferson)
Jorge Luis Papiosco
Mark Kelso
Roberto Occhipinti