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WSU will host two notable keyboardists in the next couple of weeks.

Jazz pianist Tamir Hendelman will perform with the WSU Jazz Band, and harpsichordist Mark Janello will perform a recital that features Baroque improvisation and showcases his original work, “Concerto for Two Keyboards.”

The Jazz Band usually has a guest artist featured in their spring concert every year to diversify the flavor and feel from their usual performances, jazz studies professor Brian Ward said.

“[The students] get to interact with another musician outside the institution and see different points of view they may not be exposed to,” Ward said.

Hendelman received his Bachelor of Music in music composition from Eastman School of Music. He has performed with the Jeff Hamilton Trio as well as the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leads a trio of his own, according to his website. He has performed all over the world, from Israel to Thailand.

The Cougar Parent Grant, the Jazz Society and Allegro contributions made it possible to bring Hendelman here, Ward said.

The jazz band will play Hendelman’s arrangements of “Driftin,” “It Never Entered My Mind” and “You Stepped Out of a Dream,” as well as “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You,” a jazz standard. They will also play some of Hendelman’s original compositions including “Playground” and “Spy vs. Spy.”

“I hope the students will be inspired; they seem really excited,” Ward said. “I have this happy positive feeling and hope that the concert will go well.”

Mark Janello is the chair of music theory at the Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute, as well as a composer and performer. He was adviser to Lark Powers, WSU assistant professor of music, when she studied at the Peabody Institute.

“He specializes in an area very few people know about, and I think it is valuable for the community to have the benefit of his expertise,” Powers said.

Janello is an expert in harpsichord and Baroque improvisation. When most people think of improvisation, they think of jazz. Baroque improvisation is the art of making up a piece on the spot, following the harmonic language and rules of the Baroque era, Powers said.

“[Baroque improvisation] is just like what Bach would have been able to do,” Powers said.

Janello will host workshops in classes, specifically on the day of the performance from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Kimbrough 115. He will also visit a jazz improvisation class at 1 p.m. on April 18.

“I want students to feel more confident with the art of improvisation no matter what the style is,” Powers said. “Classically-trained musicians can be very intimidated because it’s something that isn’t really taught. I hope that they will be inspired and interested by his knowledge of Baroque style and seek out more information.”

Faculty members Greg Yasinitsky, Brad Ard, Dave Hagelganz, Dave Snider and David Jarvis will also perform.

The concert featuring Hendelman will be at 8 p.m. on Tuesday in Bryan Hall Theatre, admission is free for students. Janello’s recital will be at 8 p.m. on April 17 in Kimbrough Concert Hall.