Dave Brubeck, world-renowned jazz composer and musician, will
visit Emory for a five-day festival and symposium, Oct. 1–5,
exploring his contributions to the arts and humanities. Brubeck
also will perform on successive nights (Oct. 4 & 5) at 8 p.m.
in Glenn Auditorium.
Organized by the Depart-ment of Music, the Dave Brubeck Festival
provides an overview of Brubeck’s career with a special look
at his role in the civil rights movement, his musical compositions
and style, and his impact on the history of jazz.
The festival will feature a variety of concerts and educational
opportunities, including a two-day symposium, concerts by the Dave
Brubeck Quartet in Glenn Auditorium, master classes and an exhibit
in Schatten Gallery. Brubeck’s breadth of composition, spanning
jazz, choral and classical genres, offers students and the Atlanta
community a chance to listen to and learn from one of the most prolific
composers of modern times.
“The Dave Brubeck Festival and Symposium is a chance for students
to interact with and learn from a living legend—a remarkable
opportunity to gain knowledge from and collaborate with a musician
who’s been active for more than 60 years,” said Stephen
Crist, associate professor of music history at Emory and organizer
of the events. “Whether to learn or just to listen, Brubeck’s
visit promises to be both an entertaining and educational experience.”
Prior to Brubeck’s “grand finale” performance
at 8 p.m., Oct. 5, in Glenn Auditorium, President Bill Chace will
bestow upon him the President’s Medal to honor not only Brubeck’s
extraordinary cultural attainment, but also the impact he has had
in standing boldly for civil rights, regardless of the consequences.
Writing to invite Brubeck to receive the medal, Chace noted, “In
1995 this award was commissioned to honor individuals whose work
has enhanced the dominion of peace or has enlarged the range of
cultural achievement; certainly you have accomplished both.”
The four previous recipients of the President’s Medal are
His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the XIV Dalai Lama (1995); His Excel-lency
Carlos Saul Menem, president of Argentina (1996); His All Holiness
Bartholomew, ecumenical patriarch of the Orthodox Christian Church
(1997); and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Georgia Democratic congressman
and civil rights activist (2000).
The 81-year-old Brubeck’s career spans six decades. He continues
as an active composer, writing jazz and classical music and in some
cases crossing boundaries between these genres. He also continues
to perform around the world, most recently at Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood
and the Monterey Jazz Festival. With new CDs being released every
year, his status as a jazz legend is consistently affirmed.
The Brubeck symposium is open to the public and will feature leading
jazz scholars not only from Emory but from Spelman College, Harvard
and Rutgers universities, as well as the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill. In addition, Brubeck will work hands-on with students
in a jazz improvisation class.
Brubeck’s Oct. 4 performance will feature him and his quartet.
The next night, he will culminate his visit in the Oct. 5 joint
performance with the quartet and several Emory music ensembles and
faculty artists, including University Organist Timothy Albrecht
and Emory Jazz Combos Director Gary Motley. Piano, organ, choral
and orchestral performers will join in for such favorites as “Boogie
One A.M,” “All My Hope,” “In Your Own Sweet
Way” and “Take Five.” The program will be conducted
by Russell Gloyd.
Tickets for the two performances range from $15–$35, and not
all seating zones are available for each performance. For more information
or to purchase tickets, call the Emory box office at 404-727-5050.
For more information on symposium events, call Crist at 404-727-3785.
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