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October 25, 2022

10 Memorable Moments from Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s Residency

By UMS

Wynton Marsalis and JLCO Trumpet section

Photo by Mark Jacobson

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s relationship with UMS dates back more than 25 years, with 20+ appearances in Ann Arbor since 1994!

In October 2022, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra completed its most extensive UMS residency to date, complete with learning and engagement opportunities at the University of Michigan and across Southeast Michigan, plus a weekend of unforgettable performances in Hill Auditorium.

Enjoy a recap of our favorite JLCO residency week moments below. Thank you to our Residency Sponsors, Elaine and Peter Schweitzer, and all our supporters, for making this week possible.

1. Engaging Local Schools

Caption: JLCO’s Chris Crenshaw at Ann Arbor’s Community High School. Photo by Peter Smith

Members of Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra coached young musicians at a number of schools across Southeast Michigan, including Community High School and Scarlett Middle School in Ann Arbor, Lincoln High School in Ypsilanti, and the Detroit School of the Arts.

UMS teaching artists Allen Dennard and Tariq Gardner also visited more than a dozen local schools, leading educational workshops in advance of Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s School Day Performance for K-12 students.

2. Coachings on Campus

Vincent Gardner coaching a jazz ensemble at U-M’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Vincent Gardner coaching at U-M’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Photo by Peter Smith

JLCO’s Obed Calvaire and Vincent Gardner coached big bands at the School of Music, ensembles composed of Jazz Majors at U-M.

3. Music as a Universal Language

JLCO saxophonist Ted Nash. Photo by Peter Smith

Ted Nash led a class visit connecting communication in language to communication in improvised music. The class was composed of international students continuing to hone their English language skills.

4. Prison Creative Arts Project Performance

JLCO artists Marcus Printup, trumpet, and Abdias Amenteros, tenor saxophone, joined U-M students and musicians Zachary Reed, Anna Thielke, Anne Hayes, and Mercer Patterson to perform for inmates at FCI Milan, a federal prison. UMS collaborated with the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP) to facilitate the visit. More than 150 inmates enjoyed the performance and a dynamic Q&A session with JLCO artists and students.

Reflecting on the visit, student Anna Thielke shared that “playing jazz for this group of people was one of the most special and affirming moments I have ever had. As musicians, we are so often playing music for events where no one is paying attention. This experience was the complete opposite of that. The inmates in the audience were probably the most receptive and grateful audience I have ever played for…there were so many musicians in the audience and it was so special to be able to connect with them — people who lead lives vastly different from my own — on such a deep level about music.”

5. Art and Athletics Meet

Wynton Marsalis and Warde Manuel. Photo by Eric Bronson

In a special Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series event at the Michigan Theater, Wynton Marsalis sat down with Warde Manuel, the University of Michigan’s Director of Athletics, to explore art, athletics, and the creative process. The conversation between the two New Orleans natives was facilitated by Chris Audain, managing director of U-M’s Arts Initiative.

We were also honored to welcome Dr. Santa Ono, University of Michigan’s new president, to the audience:

What a pleasure to hear a dialogue today with Wynton Marsalis and Warde Manuel as part of the Penny Stamps Speaker Series @UMich. Marsalis said “If @UMSpresents could be replicated in every college campus, the world be a much better place” 〽️ pic.twitter.com/SwFJtuGa7y

— Santa Ono (@SantaJOno) October 12, 2022

Watch the full conversation on YouTube

6. Introducing Young Audiences to Jazz

K-12 students outside Hill Auditorium. Photo by Peter Smith

In our first School Day Performance of the 2022/23 season, UMS welcomed more than 2,000 enthusiastic K-12 students to Hill Auditorium for a program that the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton specifically designed to engage with young audiences. UMS also live-streamed the performance for classrooms unable to attend in person.

7. All Rise Explodes in Hill Auditorium

Wynton Marsalis’s ‘All Rise’ in Hill Auditorium. Photo by Eric Bronson

250+ artists on stage. And 3,100+ in the crowd, including 850 students! Conductor Kenneth Kiesler led Wynton Marsalis’s massive All Rise (Symphony No. 1), which came to life through the combined forces of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, U-M Choirs, and the UMS Choral Union…all on a custom-built extension to the Hill Auditorium stage!

Learn more about the origins of All Rise on our blog.

8. From The Big Easy to The Big House

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Michigan Marching Band

Photo by Mark Jacobson

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis joined the Michigan Marching band for “A Night in New Orleans” halftime show at Michigan Stadium, featuring Big Band favorites including Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” and Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Watch the full set below!

9. Business Hours

(UMS) and +Impact Studio at the Michigan Ross School of Business convened a design jam — a collaborative brainstorming session geared towards identifying solutions in a fun, creative environment — to coincide with the Ann Arbor residency by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

This event brought together a select group of 25 artists, business leaders, faculty, students, and arts lovers who combined their expertise to incubate new forms of organizing around the arts. The event featured a visit from Wynton Marsalis, in dialogue with UMS President Matthew VanBesien, to share his insights into the intersections between music and business. Attendees concluded the day of intense discussion and dialogue with UMS’s presentation of Wynton and the JLCO in a big band performance at Hill Auditorium.

10. A Grand Finale

Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

Photo by Peter Smith

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s week in Ann Arbor came to a close with a fun-filled, family friendly Big Band performance. More than 3,000 audience members packed Hill Auditorium for a triumphant close to an unforgettable week.

Thank you to everyone who joined us throughout JLCO’s 2022/23 season residency, and to the many supporters whose generosity makes opportunities like this uniquely possible here in Ann Arbor.

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