MUSIC AT EMORY
2022–2023
This concert is presented by the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts.
404.727.5050 | schwartz.emory.edu | boxoffice@emory.edu
Audience Information
Please turn off all electronic devices.
Health and Safety
The Schwartz Center follows the Emory University Visitor Policy with additional protocols outlined at schwartz.emory.edu/faq.
Photographs and Recordings
Digital capture or recording of this concert is not permitted.
Ushers
The Schwartz Center welcomes a volunteer usher corps of approximately 60 members each year. Visit schwartz.emory.edu/volunteer or call 404.727.6640 for ushering opportunities.
Accessibility
The Schwartz Center is committed to providing performances and facilities accessible to all. Please direct accommodation requests to the Schwartz Center Box Office at 404.727.5050, or by email at boxoffice@emory.edu.
Design and Photography Credits
Cover Design: Lisa Baron | Cover Photo: Mark Teague
Photo Page 8: Bill Head
Acknowledgment
This season, the Schwartz Center is celebrating 20 years of world-class performances and wishes to gratefully acknowledge the generous ongoing support of Donna and Marvin Schwartz.
2022–2023 MUSIC AT EMORY
Emory Jazz Combos
Chris Riggenbach, combo director
Michael Cruse, combo director
Emory Big Band
Gary Motley, director Randy Hunter, assistant director Jane Chakraborty, student assistant
Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 8:00 p.m.
Emerson Concert Hall Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
Emory Jazz Combos
Combo 4
Take the A-Train by Duke Ellington Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham C Jam Blues by Duke Ellington
Satya Thota, trumpet; Clement Leung, tenor sax; Gabe Schwartz, guitar; Benjamin Soffer, guitar; Holden Vance, bass; Ayush Basu, piano; Mario Fogg, drums* Michael Cruse, combo director
Combo 3
Alone Together by Arthur Schwartz Doxy by Sonny Rollins United by Wayne Shorter
Simren Kochhar, trombone; Jason Bisgay, tenor sax, Robert Schmidt, alto sax; Zinc Zhoa, guitar; Ke Li, bass; Alejandra Muñoz, piano; Mario Fogg, drums* Michael Cruse, combo director
Combo 2
Driftin’ by Herbie Hancock St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins The Way You Look Tonight by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields
Noah Willhite, tenor saxophone; Aaron Thaler, tenor saxophone; Adam Shah, tenor saxophone; Dana Kahn, guitar; Jane Chakraborty, piano; Kevin Wu, bass; Ved Dattaray, drums
Chris Riggenbach, combo director
Combo 1
Strollin’ by Horace Silver Dindi by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Ray Gilbert Donna Lee by Charlie Parker
Michael Wang, alto saxophone; Jay Hammond, tenor saxophone; Evan Covey, guitar; Justin Hahm, bass; Tommy Parker, drums
Chris Riggenbach, combo director
* indicates Emory artist affiliate
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Emory Big Band
Hard Bargain by Mike Tomaro
Recorda Me by Joe Henderson arr. Eric Richards
Tell Me a Bedtime Story by Herbie Hancock arr. Alan Baylock
A Song for Horace by Michael Philip Mossman School of Thought by Kris Berg
SAXOPHONE
Ryan Ruhde, Robert Schmidt, Adam Shah, Jason Bisgay, Rob LaTerza
TROMBONE
Josh Peacock, Tim Brewer, Griffin Noble, Shiven Sinha
TRUMPET
Michael Cruse*, Joseph Rosenbaum Will Hudson, Nathaniel Lechtzin
RHYTHM SECTION
Gary Motley, piano** Evan Covey, guitar Justin Hahm, bass Tommy Parker, drums
Gary Motley, big band director
Randy Hunter, assistant big band director
* indicates Emory artist affiliate ** indicates Emory jazz faculty
There will be a brief set change break between Emory Jazz Combos and Emory Big Band.
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Emory Jazz Studies
The Emory Jazz Studies program features courses in improvisation and history, as well as private instruction and performance opportunities. Our mission is to educate students about the rich tradition of American jazz while providing insight into the creative process through performance and analysis. The program includes undergraduate and graduate students spanning the liberal arts. Musicians develop skills in performance through the study of classic repertory in smaller ensembles or in the big band, which focuses on traditional works of the past and present.
Emory Jazz Faculty
Gary Motley, professor of performance and director of jazz studies
Since launching a solo career in 1994, Gary Motley has been at the forefront of jazz in the southeastern United States, establishing himself as both a keyboard virtuoso and a composer. His captivating performances transport audiences back in time as Motley blends musicianship, creativity, and tradition.
Recognized by Downbeat magazine, the American Composers Forum, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Motley was recently cited by his home state for his artistic and educational achievements with his induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Motley is also committed to jazz education and awareness. In his role at Emory, Motley developed the Robert Strickland Jazz Studio—an innovative, interactive teaching facility that integrates the rich heritage of American jazz with today’s technology practices.
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Emory Jazz Artist Affiliates
Dan Baraszu, guitar
Detroit-born, guitarist-composer Dan Baraszu started playing guitar at age nine. Early in his career, he explored many different styles of music. However, when he first heard the genius of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, Baraszu devoted himself to becoming a die-hard jazz artist. His major influences include guitarists Joe Pass, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, and John Scofield, as well as other instrumentalists like Bill Evans, Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Charlie Parker. Baraszu received a bachelor’s degree from the renowned Berklee College of Music, where he majored in jazz composition and arranging, and a master’s degree from the University of Miami with a major in jazz pedagogy.
Justin Chesarek, drums
Justin Chesarek began performing at the age of 12 with Pittsburgh jazz legend Harold Betters and spent time listening to live performances by Roger Humphries, well-known for his work with Horace Silver. After earning a bachelor’s degree in music education from Slippery Rock University, he attained a master of music degree in jazz studies at Georgia State University. Chesarek performs regularly with the Joe Alterman Trio— appearing at the Blue Note in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He has also performed at the Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival in Alaska, the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. Chesarek teaches jazz percussion at Kennesaw State University. His students have gone on to become professional touring musicians, Broadway theater pit players, and top-call Atlanta drummers. He is a proud endorser of Canopus drums.
Randy Hunter, saxophone
Randy Hunter is a professional saxophonist, educational author, and private music instructor from Marietta, Georgia. He studied music education with an emphasis in jazz pedagogy at Valdosta State College. Focused on generating educational jazz material, Hunter developed a series of étude, duet, and combo method books titled Complete Jazz Styles, that has been endorsed by several well-known jazz artists including Joe Lovano, Jerry Bergonzi, Randy Brecker, Bobby Shew, and John Fedchock. He also created jazz improvisation-oriented instructional material in multimedia format, including several eBooks. At Emory, Hunter teaches jazz saxophone and is the assistant director of the Emory Big Band.
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Michael Cruse, trombone/trumpet, combo instructor
Jazz artist and composer Michael Cruse is known for his unique take on the singing and trumpet-playing style of the incomparable Louis Armstrong. Cruse’s compositions and arrangements have been used in television, film, and commercial music. Born into a gospel family, Cruse developed a deep love for performing music at a young age. His uncle, Charles Quillings, who taught and performed with Les McCann, taught him the trumpet and how to read and write his own music. Cruse studied jazz performance and composition at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. After graduating, he released his first CD titled Unbridled featuring the Michael Cruse Quintet. His latest single, You (2020), is available on music streaming platforms. Cruse frequently performs in the Atlanta area and tours nationally in various concert halls, jazz festivals, and jazz clubs.
Chris Riggenbach, double bass and electric bass
Chris Riggenbach has played double bass and electric bass with Josh Groban, Matt Catingub, Jens Lindemann, Steve Moretti, Wycliffe Gordon, Victor Goines, Ted Howe, Keith David, Chloe Agnew, Karla Harris, Sarah Partridge, Vecinos del Mundo (led by Jerry Fields), Orquestra Macuba, Marcus Lewis, Jazz Legacy Big Band (led by David Pruyn), the Gwinnett Symphony Wind Orchestra, and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, among others. He has also played internationally on cruise ships in performances of The Sound of Music, Camelot, Catch Me If You Can, Dreamgirls, and Bonnie & Clyde. In 2010, he performed in Poland with the Josh Lawrence Jazz 3 at the Sopot Molo Jazz Festival and at Piwnica pod Baranami in Krakow. Riggenbach has advanced degrees in jazz studies from Georgia State University. He studied bass with Ralph Jones, Thomas Thoreson, Dee Moses, Neal Starkey, Rich Nanista, and Robert Dickson. Riggenbach teaches bass and directs the jazz combos at Emory.
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Emory Jazz Alliance
The Emory Jazz Alliance is devoted to supporting jazz education, awareness, and performance at Emory University. Your donations will support Emory Jazz Studies by providing funding for residencies, program development, and community outreach. Become a member today by visiting music.emory.edu/home/about/support.
Music at Emory
The Department of Music at Emory University provides an exciting and innovative environment for developing knowledge and skills as a performer, composer, and scholar. Led by a faculty of more than 60 nationally and internationally recognized artists and researchers, undergraduate and graduate students experience a rich diversity of performance and academic opportunities. Undergraduate students in the department earn a BA in music with a specialization in performance, composition, or research, many of whom simultaneously earn a second degree in another department. True to the spirit of Emory, a liberal arts college in the heart of a research university, the faculty and ensembles also welcome the participation of nonmajor students.
Coming Soon—Emory Jazz Fest 2023
Vibraphonist Warren Wolf takes the stage with the Emory Jazz Fest AllStars to kick off Emory Jazz Fest on Friday, Feb. 10. A multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore, Wolf will join All-Stars Gary Motley, piano; Edwin Livingston, bass; Clarence Penn, drums; and Gregory Tardy, saxophone. Wolf has collaborated with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Ron Carter, Wycliffe Gordon, esperanza spalding, and many others.
In this 20th anniversary celebration for both Jazz Fest and the Schwartz Center, audiences are also invited to observe free lecture/demonstrations and master classes with the artists. Jazz Fest 2023 will come to a close on Saturday, Feb. 11 with a performance by the Emory Big Band, featuring Gary Motley, Randy Hunter, Michael Cruse, and members of the string section of the Emory University Symphony Orchestra.
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Department of Music Administration
Stephen Crist, Chair
Bradley Howard, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Paul Bhasin, Director of Undergraduate Research
Martha Shockey, Administrative Assistant
Kathy Summers, Academic Department Administrator
Simone McGaw Evans, Program Coordinator
Julia Hudgins, Academic Services Coordinator
Schwartz Center Staff
Rachael Brightwell, Managing Director
Terry Adams, Box Office Coordinator
Lisa Baron, Communications Specialist
Carrie Christie, Program Coordinator
Kathryn Colegrove, Associate Director for Programming and Outreach
Lewis Fuller, Associate Director for Production and Operations
Jennifer Kimball, Assistant Stage Manager
Jeffrey Lenhard, Operations Assistant
Alan Strange, Box Office Manager
Nicholas Surbey, Senior Graphic Designer
Alexandria Sweatt, Marketing Assistant
Mark Teague, Stage Manager
Nina Vestal, House Manager
Matt Williamson, Multimedia Specialist
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Upcoming Emory Music Concerts
Many fall music events at Emory are free to attend. Visit music.emory. edu or schwartz.emory.edu to view descriptions and information for upcoming music events. If an event requires a ticket for attendance, prices are indicated in the listings below in the following order: Full price/Emory student price (unless otherwise noted as the price for all students).
Wednesday, November 30, 8:00 p.m., Fall Composition Showcase, Performing Arts Studio, free
Friday, December 2, noon, Kyung and Michael Kim, duo pianists, ECMSA: Cooke Noontime Concert, Carlos Museum, free online registration required
Friday, December 2, 8:00 pm; Saturday, December 3, 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Glenn Auditorium, $20/$10, tickets required
Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10, 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, December 11, 4:00 p.m., Christmas with Atlanta Master Chorale, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $38/$10 all students, tickets required
Sunday, December 11, 4:00 p.m., Santa’s Favorite Chamber Music, ECMSA: Family Series, Carlos Museum, free
Thursday, January 19, 8:00 p.m., An Evening with Fred Hersch and esperanza spalding, Schwartz Artist-in-Residence Program, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, $55/$10, tickets required
Saturday, January 21, 8:00 p.m., David Shifrin, clarinet, ECMSA: Emerson Series, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free
Sunday, January 22, 4:00 p.m., Chinese New Year Celebration, ECMSA: Family Series, Carlos Museum, free
Friday, January 27, noon, Itamar Zorman, violin; Liza Stepanova, piano, ECMSA: Cooke Noontime Concert, Carlos Museum, free online registration required
Saturday, January 28, 8:00 p.m., Todd Qualls, piano, Artist Affiliate Recital, Schwartz Center, Emerson Concert Hall, free
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Music at Emory
Music at Emory brings together students, faculty, and world-class artists to create an exciting and innovative season of performances, lectures, workshops, and master classes. With more than 150 events each year across multiple Emory venues, audiences experience a wide variety of musical offerings.
We hope you enjoy sampling an assortment of work from our student ensembles, community youth ensembles, artists in residence, professional faculty, up-and-coming prodigies, and virtuosos from around the world. 404.727.5050 music.emory.edu
