UALR Public Radio and the Hot Springs Music Festival will host international jazz artist Amir Gwirtzman of Tel Aviv, Israel, for a 7 p.m. Feb. 19, performance at Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in UALR’s Fine Arts Building.

A renowned saxophone player and an accomplished musician who plays 20 reed instruments, Gwirtzman will perform a show titled “Inhale-Exhale” featuring woodwinds, horns, bagpipes, flutes and percussion instruments.

“Inhale-Exhale” showcases Gwirtzman’s creativity, stamina, and mastery as a multi-instrumentalist with more than 20 instruments and blends rhythm and blues, jazz and folk traditions from around the world.
Tickets to the Little Rock performance are $15 for the general public and $5 for students. Tickets are available at kuar.org or 501- 569-8485.

During live performances, Gwirtzman constructs an ensemble sound for most of his songs, instantly recording one instrumental part atop another until the music crescendos into a propulsive blend of rhythm, melody and harmony. His lively tribute to the Cuban band, Los Van Van, for example, features clarinet, classical and wooden flutes, tenor sax, baritone sax and three percussion instruments.

Inspired by a career that has taken him to North and South America, Europe, Asia and even the White House in 1998, Gwirtzman began to develop “Inhale-Exhale” in 2008. He has presented “Inhale-Exhale” across the United States and around the world.

UALR Public Radio serves central Arkansas with local news and content from National Public Radio on KUAR FM 89 and classical music 24 hours a day on KLRE FM 90.5. Jazz is broadcast overnight on FM 89. Live streaming, news and information about the stations are available at kuar.org.

The Hot Springs Music Festival observes its 16th anniversary this year and pairs more than 250 mentor musicians and pre-professional apprentices for two weeks each June. More information is available at hotmusic.org.

For more information about KUAR, contact Mary Waldo at 501-569-8485.