Can Olgun Portfolio

Videos from recent BMCC Jazz Ensemble concerts under my direction

In addition to outside performances such as the BMCC Gala, WBGO programs, and the CUNY Jazz Festival, the BMCC Jazz Ensemble also performs once each semester in Theater II at BMCC. Students are selected for the ensemble through auditions and choose the majority of the repertoire, which spans a wide range of styles including jazz, pop, gospel, R&B, and hip-hop. These concerts are a core part of the ensemble’s educational experience and provide students with  opportunities to present their work in a professional concert setting. Videos from these performances are included below.

Under my direction, the BMCC Jazz Ensemble received an Outstanding Performance award in the Blues/Pop/Rock Group category for community colleges at the 48th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards in May 2025. In addition, the ensemble’s drummer, Temitope Idowu, was recognized as the Community College Winner in the Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist category.
The DownBeat Student Music Awards honor top ensembles at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Ensembles are evaluated by a panel of judges on multiple performance criteria, including overall sound, interpretation, improvisation, creativity, intonation, phrasing, and dynamics.
This was the second consecutive year that the BMCC Jazz Ensemble received recognition at the DownBeat Student Music Awards. As director, I also led the ensemble to win the 47th (2024) Annual award in the Blues/Pop/Rock Group category for community colleges and to earn an Outstanding Performance award in the Small Vocal Jazz Group category.