Pianist

Melanie Scholtz is a South African-born, multi-award-winning jazz singer and composer. She started playing the piano from the age of 5 and went on to study opera at The University of Cape Town Opera School. Since then, she has released five successful solo albums and was named the Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz and won all three prizes at the prestigious Jazz Revelations competition as part of the Jazz a Juan Festival in Nice, France in 2012. Scholtz has performed all over the world including her native country, South Africa, plus the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. Her Jazz Underground concert will be a mixture of jazz standards celebrating Nancy Wilson and also celebrating her seven years in New York City with my original compositions. A meeting of North and South, they will also play some South African jazz.

Melanie Scholtz

The Underground at Jaffe Drive

Originally from Kyoto, Japan, and now a dynamic force on New York's vibrant jazz scene, pianist Miki Hayama brings her electrifying energy, passionate artistry, and Grammy-nominated flair straight to Duke's campus. Her performances are celebrated for their technical brilliance, vivid creativity, and bold improvisation, and she has earned rave reviews from major jazz critics and collaborators alike. She has collaborated and performed with icons such as Aretha Franklin, Christian McBride, Tia Fuller, Nnenna Freelon, and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Pianist

Miki Hayama

Events

Upcoming events

Dec 5, 2025

Duke University Jazz Ensemble with Special Guest Miki Hayama · Duke University Department of Music

Past events

Jul 7, 2024

Melanie Scholtz · Jazz at Lincoln Center

About

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