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Dr. Bill Bares
Music — Learning — Community
Creating Music
Bill Bares is a poly-stylistic pianist and bandleader who has released six albums as leader or co-leader and founded or co-founded several successful groups in Asheville, including the repertoire-based Hard Bop Explosion and the original modern jazz-oriented The Core and the free-improv unit Eye Myth Collective.
A fan of piano trio music, Bares plays varied repertoires in different groups: the Asheville Art Trio, Bill Bares Trio, Three Chord Monty, Trio Big Band, and the Four Giants Trio. He also plays in duo or solo settings, such as the "Take Two" series or in solo concerts for the Asheville Area Piano Forum (AAPF).
When there's time, he plays in the bands of other musicians, whether its Steve LaSpina's quintet, Alan Hall's Xploratoreum, the vocal-oriented group Jazzville or the Hawiian/Appalachian-themed band like CarolinAloha.
Sharing Knowledge
Bares is an experienced teacher, having taught at elite institutions like Harvard, Brown, the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory. Since 2011 Bares has directed jazz studies at UNC Asheville.
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Having taught Harmony at Berklee, his jazz teaching centers on advanced techniques in harmony, improvisation and composition. Trained as an ethnomusicologist at Harvard, Bares also teaches classes on American and Global musical styles.
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His research interests include transatlantic music, experimental music and ecomusicology. His students benefit from a wide and deep pool of knowledge, an interdisciplinary approach and a relaxed and caring teaching style.
Building Community
My name is Alexa Young
Bill is also a community builder, having served as board member or volunteer for several organizations including Youth At Jazz, the Asheville Area Piano Forum, Read 2 Succeed Asheville, Montford North Star Academy and Emma Elementary. He is also the founder and president of URSA Asheville, a nonprofit organization dedicated to Uplifting, Renewing, and Sustaining the Arts in Asheville.
Since arriving in Asheville in 2011 he has led many initiatives to elevate the jazz scene, including developing jams and showcases at local venues like Tressa's, the Altamont Theater, Isis Music Hall, Gigi's Undergound, Archetype Brewing and the White Horse Black Mountain.
Through these connections and his teaching at UNCA, Bares facilitated visits from world-class artists, keeping Asheville in touch with regional, national and international music currents. He has also convened notable gatherings of academics and community activists such as the conference Ecomusicologies 2014: Dialogues and the 2025 symposium Post-Helene: Remembering, Rebuilding, Reimagining.
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