University of Michigan Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation

10/29/2024

U of M SMTD Jazz Showcase

Come on down to the Blue LLama on Wednesday night for the UM Jazz Showcase. Featured groups: The Sam Novell-Regester Sextet, :UMPH and the Rowan Tucker-Meyer Quartet. Shows at 7 and 8:45."

https://bluellamaclub.com/events/u-of-m-smtd-jazz-showcase

04/09/2024

We are THRILLED to welcome Kris Johnson to our full time faculty!

I’ll be joining the faculty at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance as an Assistant Professor of Jazz Trumpet this fall! 🎺

I am incredibly honored and want to say a major thanks to Dean Grier, Professor Bishop, and the entire faculty for such a warm welcome. I’m excited to work with our talented students, collaborate with faculty, and continue my creative research at UM.

I’m so thankful to Dean Forger, the MSU College of Music, and the stellar team at Community Music School-Detroit for our work together over the last 2.5 years. I also want to send heartfelt appreciation to Paola Smith, Jonathan Klar, Keir Lee, and Christie Lower for being such amazing colleagues and friends. I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished together! We have reached thousands of music students of all ages in the city of Detroit through Early Childhood Music, Music Therapy, private and group instruction for youth and adults, music production, and more. CMSD is a true gift to our city, and I will continue my work there until the end of June. I am very excited for the future of this incredible program 🎶

04/01/2024

Last year, Professor Michael Gould was named the recipient of the Harold Haugh Award, given for excellence in studio teaching. As part of the award guidelines, Gould will present a recital and lecture on April 6, 2024, at 7 p.m., in East Quad’s Keene Auditorium. The event, titled “25 Years of Te...

03/14/2024

Congratulations to U-M alum Eric Banitt!

02/18/2024

Congratulations to Houston Patton on a great set of original music at Cliff Bells in Detroit, MI. Remote Location Senior Rectial!

02/15/2023

The amazing trombonist, composer, and Michigan State University Professor Micheal Dease joined the University of Michigan Advanced Jazz Improvisation Graduate Course this afternoon to talk about his musical concepts and to workshop his music. Although this visit has been in the works since late last fall, the tragic events in East Lansing earlier this week allowed for a moment to bond with our amazing MSU faculty colleague who supports the wonderful students in East Lansing. Our hearts go out to the MSU community and hope this sincere gesture of compassion and solidarity will help in the smallest of ways with the healing. We are all Spartans this week!

10/27/2022

Congratulations to Michael Gould, our “Drum Dad.”

The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance recently named Michael Gould and Eugene Rogers as the recipients of 2023 SMTD teaching awards. The nominations were endorsed by the SMTD Awards Committee and the Executive Committee. Congratulations to Professors Gould and Rogers! Gould has...

10/26/2022

Congratulations to our wonderful Marion Hayden for being named a University of Michigan Collegiate Lecturer Fellow Award recipient. She is a remarkable musician, teacher, and colleague!

10/21/2022

Anthony Braxton giving an inspiring talk about his concepts today at the University of Michigan.

10/11/2022

The University of Michigan Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation in collaboration with Marc Hanniford from Music Theory and Edgefest Ann Arbor is thrilled to welcome the multi dimensional artist and thinker Anthony Braxton to campus on October 21.

Anthony Braxton has received The Guggenheim Fellowship (1981), the MacArthur Fellowship (1994), the Doris Duke Performing Artists Award (2013), and the NEA Jazz Master Award (2014), among other recognitions. He was an early and important member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and has held teaching positions at Mills College and Wesleyan University. His work has been performed around the world and is the subject of multiple articles and books. He has composed operas, site-specific pieces, orchestral, chamber, and solo music, electronic music, and many works that overflow simple categorization.

This talk coincides with Braxton’s visit to Ann Arbor for Edgefest, where he will perform with long time collaborator James Fei. Andrew Bishop and Marc Hanniford will also co-lead a dectet playing works by Braxton the same evening, October 22 at Bethlehem United Church. Full details: https://www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com/edgefest-2022-breathing-free/