Gunn’s Jazz Band will be presenting the premiere of Steven Bernstein’s commissioned piece, “Evolution 101,” at the Montalvo Arts Center on June 18. Bernstein, a renowned jazz musician and composer, has been working with Gunn students and faculty since April to prepare them for the piece. The Jazz Band will open the concert for Jason Moran, another legendary composer and musician, and his own show “In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall.”

Visual and Performing Arts Instructional Supervisor Todd Summers has been working in collaboration with Montalvo Arts Center. “It was really cool for them to work with a New York composer and a piece written for them and with them in mind,” Summers said. This is the first time Gunn students will be performing an original piece by a composer such as Bernstein. Over the next three years the Gunn Jazz Band will be performing at the Montalvo Center with original pieces by various composers.

Jason Moran’s “In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall” celebrates jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. The purpose of Moran’s piece is to integrate original Monk music and style. “We are also honored to share the stage with Jason Moran,” Dungan said, “A modern master of jazz piano playing.”

Jazz Band director Mark Dungan has been working closely with Stephen Bernstein. They held workshops for the music for three days in April where Bernstein worked with the students. “The music that Steven wrote is incredible. He wrote the piece, “Evolution 101,” with the band in mind, so the music is tailored to the band’s strengths and the soloists are featured on music that suits them,” Dungan said.

In June they will continue to rehearse “Evolution 101” in anticipation of the Montalvo concert. There will be several student soloists in the concert including senior tenor saxophonist Elliot Kroo, junior alto saxophonist Alex Eckstein, junior guitarist Kevin Wang, sophomore trumpeter Ben Kreitman and junior drummer Max Eckstein.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Garden Theatre. Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com or through the Montalvo Arts Center Box Office at (408) 961- 5858. Ticket prices for non-members range from: $75-35 for adults, $20 for students; for members $60-28 for adults, and $15 for students.