The UVM School of the Arts Jazz Symposium takes place on Thursday, February 27, and Friday, February 28, celebrating the rich history and culture of jazz. The event kicks off Thursday night with a keynote by renowned jazz scholar Krin Gabbard, PhD, at the Recital Hall on UVM’s campus. On Friday from 10 AM to 4:30 PM at the Alumni House, join us for three engaging panels—Uptown Remix: Harlem in Sound, Motion, and Memory; Jazz Ecosystems: Careers, Institutions, Places; and Rhythm Changes: Jazz Across the Disciplines—featuring UVM scholars and esteemed visiting speakers. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore jazz’s enduring legacy and its deep connections to Harlem!

All events are free and open to the public. No registration required.

10:00-10-15    Welcome and introduction

Kelley Di Dio  

Director, UVM School of the Arts

10:15- 11:45    Uptown Remix: Harlem in Sound, Motion, and Memory 

Moderator: Sarah Richter (University of Vermont)

Christina Zanfagna  (Santa Clara University)

            “Black Star Lines: Mapping Harlem’s Sonic and Sacred Trails”

Christi Jay Wells (Arizona State University)

            “Thriving in Crisis: Harlem’s Jazz Community During the Great Depression”

Ray Vega (University of Vermont)

            “The Music of the Harlem Renaissance: The Legacy of the Forgotten Masters”

Myron Beasley (Bates College)

            “Performing Sth: Langston, Zora, and My Life in School”

11:45-12:30     Lunch

12:30-2:00      Jazz Ecosystems: Careers, Institutions, Histories

Moderator: Patricia Julien (University of Vermont)

Tanya Kalmanovitch (The New School)

            “Playing Changes: Storying an Unexpected Life in Music”

Steve McQueen (Vermont International Film Festival)

            [title]

John Gennari (University of Vermont)

            Music Inn and the Birth of Jazz Studies

2:00-2:30        Musical Interlude

UVM Post-Bop Ensemble

Alex Mcphedran (piano)

Finn Dohery (alto sax)

Kai Paciack (bass)

Luca Medina-Downs (guitar)

Rachel Ambaye (voice)

Zach Brownstein (drums)

2:30-2:45        Coffee Break

2:45-4:30        Rhythm Changes: Jazz Across the Arts and Disciplines

Moderator: John Gennari (University of Vermont)

Stephen Cramer (University of Vermont)

            “Where Jazz Blooms”

Johann Montozzi-Wood (Duke University)

            “Jazzmorphia: Traces, Thresholds, and Theater-Making”

Joseph Acquisto (University of Vermont)

            “Bebop Between the Universal and the Particular”

Sarah Richter (University of Vermont)

“Jazz, Harlem, and the Neo-Expressionist Beat: The Influence of Black Musical

Traditions on Jean-Michel Basquiat”