Whitworth Welcomes Grammy Winner Maria Schneider for Jazz Clinic and Concert

Whitworth University’s 33rd annual Guest Artist Jazz Concert will feature composer and jazz band leader Maria Schneider, winner of seven Grammy Awards. Schneider will perform with the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dan Keberle, at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox on Saturday, April 9, at 8 p.m. 

Schneider’s music has been hailed by critics as “evocative, majestic and magical.” She is among a select few to have received Grammys in multiple genres (jazz and classical). Her 18-member collective consists of many of the finest musicians in jazz. They have performed at festivals and concert halls worldwide, and Schneider herself has received numerous commissions and guest-conducting invites, working with over 90 groups in over 30 countries.

Schneider’s many honors include numerous Jazz Journalists Association awards; an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, the University of Minnesota; ASCAP’s esteemed Concert Music Award (2014); the nation’s highest honor in jazz, “National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master” (2019); and election into the 2020 American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Schneider has been a strong voice for music advocacy throughout her career. She has testified before the U.S. Congressional Subcommittee on Intellectual Property on digital rights, has given commentary on CNN, participated in roundtables for the United States Copyright Office, has been quoted in numerous publications for her views on Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Google, digital rights and music piracy, and has written white papers and articles on the digital economy as related to music and beyond.

The jazz clinic with Schneider will take place on Friday, April 8, at 5:15 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium. Admission is free. Each middle school and high school student in attendance will receive one free ticket to Saturday’s Guest Artist Jazz Concert featuring Schneider. Note: Students should not bring their instruments to the clinic. 

General admission to Saturday’s concert is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors (62-plus), and $15 for students with valid student I.D. To purchase tickets, click here or call 509.624.1200. Unsold tickets will be available for purchase at the door prior to the concert. 

The Whitworth Jazz Ensemble performs locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, and has won numerous awards and honors over the past two decades, including top band at several Lionel Hampton jazz festivals and outstanding band at the 2013 Elmhurst Jazz Festival.

About Whitworth University:

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Contacts: 

Dan Keberle, director of jazz studies, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4582 or dkeberle@whitworth.edu.

Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.

Photo By: Briene Lermitte