Schwartz Artists in Residence Fred Hersch and esperanza spalding, January 2023
Photography by Bill Head
Schwartz Artists in Residence
The Donna and Marvin Schwartz Foundation Artist-in-Residence Program at Emory seeks to increase substantially the depth, diversity, and profile of performing arts education in the Emory and greater-Atlanta communities by providing opportunities for meaningful contact with performing artists, composers, and art scholars from throughout the world.
2023–2024 Schwartz Artist-in-Residence program events are coming soon.
Schwartz Artist-in-Residence Program
The Schwartz Center's 2022–2023 Schwartz Artist-in-Residence programs providedmeaningful contact with performing artists, composers, and art scholars from throughout the world.
An Evening with Fred Hersch and esperanza spalding
Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 8 p.m.
The duo of jazz pianist and composer Fred Hersch and jazz vocalist esperanza spalding celebrates the 2023 release of their album Alive at the Village Vanguard recorded at the legendary club. Renowned for her artistry, spalding is a worthy heir to the leading ladies of jazz vocals and Hersch is well known for his many significant duo partnerships. The remarkable chemistry of their partnership is truly exhilarating as they present an evening of songs from the Great American Songbook, music from Brazil, and jazz compositions including several penned by Hersch.
Opens Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
Runs Thursday–Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
Schwartz Center Theater Lab
Theater Emory reimagined this Thornton Wilder classic set in the American Southeast in the 21st century. It is a powerful story of an Atlanta community of immigrants as we follow two families as they go through life, love, and even death. This production is a multilingual interpretation, featuring translated passages by Nilo Cruz and Jeff Augustin.
Our Town, by Thornton Wilder centers on a small New Hampshire town Grover's Corners at the turn of the century, using minimalist production values to track the simply daily lives of the town's inhabitants as they fall in love, marry, and die. The work premiered at New Jersey's McCarter Theater in 1938 before eventually coming to Broadway the same year, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In addition to a 1940 film adaptation and 1955, 1977, 1989, and 2003 TV broadcasts, Our Town has become a favorite of regional and community theaters as well as schools.
Emory Jazz Fest 2023
February 9–11, 2023
Friday at 8 p.m. | Warren Wolf and the Emory Jazz Fest All-Stars | $30
Saturday at 8 p.m. | Emory Big Band | Free
Sharing its 20th Anniversary with the Schwartz Center, the Emory University Jazz Fest is a three-day event providing world-class jazz with master classes, artist lectures/demonstrations, and concerts.
Vibraphonist Warren Wolf takes the stage with the Emory Jazz Fest All-Stars to kick off Emory University’s Jazz Fest 2023 on Friday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. A multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore, Warren 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, Jeremy Pelt and “Creation,” Nicholas Payton, Tim Warfield, Ron Carter, Wycliffe Gordon, esperanza spalding, and many others.
In this 20th anniversary celebration for both Jazz Fest and the Schwartz Center, the general public is 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 the Gary Motley Trio, Randy Hunter, Michael Cruse, and members of the string section of the Emory University Symphony Orchestra.
Jazz Fest 2023 Schedule of Events:
All events took place in the Emerson Concert Hall at the Schwartz Center unless otherwise noted.
Thursday, Feb. 9 at 2:30 p.m., Demonstration with Warren Wolf
Friday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m., "Composing Images" An exhibit celebrating 20 years of Jazz Fest; Chace Gallery; runs through Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 p.m. before moving to Emory's Woodruff Library
Friday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m., Warren Wolf and the Emory Jazz Fest All-Stars
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 11:30 a.m., Jazz Clinic; Tharp Rehearsal Hall
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m., Emory Big Band with the Gary Motley Trio, Randy Hunter, Michael Cruse, and members of the Emory University Symphony Orchestra
Lawrence Brownlee, tenor: Rising
Friday, March 17, 2023 at 8 p.m.
A leading figure in opera, both as a singer on the world's top stages and as a voice for activism and diversity in the industry, Lawrence Brownlee has captivated audiences and critics around the globe. With the premiere of his new project, Rising, Brownlee and pianist Kevin J. Miller will perform texts by Black authors and poets of the Harlem Renaissance, set to music by leading new composers such as Shawn Okpebholo, Damien Sneed, Emory Alumnus Joel Thompson, and others.
Of this project, Lawrence Brownlee says, "These past years have been a trial, both for humanity as a whole, and the African-American population here in the United States. But through all these many challenges we have faced, I have also seen moments of strength, inspiration, hope, and great beauty. It is those themes of uplift, elevation, and rebirth that we have tried to focus on with this new project Rising, taking poems from the giants of the Harlem Renaissance, and working with some of today’s most talented African-American composers, to create something that speaks not just to our struggles, but to our triumphs."
Also, as part of the 2022–2023 Schwartz Artist-in-Residence Program, Lawrence Brownlee conducted a vocal master class then joined composer Joel Thompsonfor a conversation about their work together.
Cellist Seth Parker Woods (performing as part of the Candler Concert Series on Saturday, March 25 with pianist Chad Lawson and violinist Judy Kang) has established a reputation as a versatile artist and a fierce advocate for contemporary arts. As part of the Schwartz Artist-in-Residence Program, Woods and Emory faculty composer Katherine Young are developing a new work for solo cello during his time in Atlanta.
Join us for the following free events as part of this residency:
MONDAY, MARCH 27 | Performing Arts Studio, 1804 N Decatur Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322
Free, No Registration Required
1 pm: Open Rehearsal with Seth Parker Woods and Katherine Young
4 pm: Master Class—Collaboration and New Practices
EUSO Composer Commission Project
April 22, 2023 at 8 p.m. and April 23, 2023 at 4 p.m.
In celebration of Emory University Symphony Orchestra’s centennial anniversary in 2023, the EUSO Composer Commission Project presents a collaboration between the Schwartz-Artist-in-Residence program, EUSO, and Emory composition faculty, bringing to campus emerging composers from backgrounds currently underrepresented within American classical music.
Composer Sofia Rocha has been selected as the 2022–2023 EUSO Composer Commission Project recipient. Rocha’s work will premiere in this free concert presented by the EUSO and Emory Choirs at the Schwartz Center.
In addition to this Schwartz Artist-in-Residence Commission Project, the EUSO and Emory Choirs will present Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.
Tickets are not required for this free concert.
Schwartz Artist-in Residence classes or performances open to the public will be listed on the calendar of events. Ticketed events will be available through the Schwartz Center Box Office.