Saxophonist and composer Dayna Stephens headlines the 2024 CUNY Jazz Festival on May 8 and 9. Pianist Helen Sung offers a master class to students.
The 24th Annual CUNY Jazz Festival, a gathering of bands and ensembles from across the CUNY system, takes place May 8 – 9 in Aaron Davis Hall, Theatre B, at The City College of New York. Tenor saxophonist Dayna Stephens, one of the jazz scene’s most unique and influential voices will be the festival’s headline guest artist. The festival will also feature a master class by acclaimed pianist Helen Sung.
The festival, which is free and open to the public, begins 12 p.m., May 8, with a performance by the CCNY Faculty Jazz Ensemble, comprising internationally acclaimed jazz artists. The festival features ensembles from CCNY and regular guest bands from Hunter College, Brooklyn College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, York College, Lehman College, Queens College, LaGuardia Community College and the College of Staten Island. Student groups perform throughout both days 12 – 6 p.m. along with a Wednesday master class from Dayna Stephens and a Thursday master class from Helen Sung. Performances both evenings are until 10 p.m.
The May 8 evening concert features Dayna Stephens with the CCNY Small Jazz Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. followed by a jam session with Dayna for all festival participants. The May 9 evening performance begins at 7:30 p.m. with one of the CCNY graduate jazz ensembles. A performance by Stephens and his quartet will close the festival at 8:30 p.m.
“Dayna Stephens is one of the current jazz scenes most important, expressive and unique voices. With his quartet’s performance, Dayna’s master class and performance with the CCNY Small Jazz Ensemble and a master class from the wonderful pianist Helen Sung, I am thrilled about the 2024 Festival,” said Festival Director Mike Holober.
In its 24th year, the festival is presented by CCNY’s Simon H. Rifkind Center for the Humanities and the Arts, and music department, with assistance from the City College Center for the Arts.
Click here for the festival schedule. For more information, contact Mike Holober at mholober@ccny.cuny.edu . Aaron Davis Hall is located at 135th Street and Convent Ave. in Manhattan.
About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.
Thea Klapwald
e:
tklapwald@ccny.cuny.edu