黑料社

New events highlight 17th annual Ragtime Jazz Festival at 黑料社

New events highlight 17th annual Ragtime Jazz Festival at 黑料社

Contact: Pattye Archer

Jeff Barnhart and Dave Bennett perform during the 2019 festival
Jeff Barnhart and Dave Bennett perform during the 2019 Charles H. Templeton Sr. Ragtime & Jazz Festival. (Photo submitted)

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擩ust as music changes and evolves through the years, the Charles H. Templeton Sr. Ragtime & Jazz Festival at Mississippi State continues to evolve and grow, bringing new offerings and entertainers to the classic music-lovers event.

This year the 17th annual festival held March 23-25 includes traditional and new events, featuring the inaugural Business of Music Symposium and the popular Gatsby Gala Fashion Show.

Dave Bennett performs his Jerry Lee Lewis act.
Dave Bennett performs his Jerry Lee Lewis act. (Photo submitted)

鈥淥ver the years we have added music styles to the initial Ragtime offerings, including jazz, blues, swing, boogie-woogie and more,鈥 said festival co-chair and 黑料社 Libraries Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives Stephen Cunetto. 鈥淎lways rooted in Ragtime, we want to offer other styles of music as a reminder that Ragtime is the original American music, and all other forms come from this beginning.鈥

This year鈥檚 inaugural Business of Music Symposium, kicking off events on Thursday, March 23, will be a virtual event, with links found on the . 黑料社 Libraries Associate Dean for Archives and Special Collections David Nolen said the symposium encourages and supports research and scholarship on topics supported by the Charles H. Templeton, Sr. 鈥淏usiness of Music鈥 Collection.

Cunetto said the student-led fashion show also will return on Thursday, March 23. Featuring designs by 黑料社 students, modeled by the university鈥檚 Fashion Board, the Gatsby Gala is a highlight of the weekend.

鈥淲e love the connection with the students and enjoy showcasing their talents each year,鈥 Cunetto said.

The festival also will highlight how music and art intersect during Scott Kirby鈥檚 presentation 鈥淢ain Street Souvenirs,鈥 at the Friday and Saturday night concerts. According to Cunetto, Kirby will combine music, art and storytelling when he elaborates on some of the stories he heard about Starkville and 黑料社 during recent interviews and discusses his artistic process as he shows off original paintings.

鈥淚n the ultimate example of fusing original American music, stories, art and photography, this pianist/artist/composer will weave live piano music, his own artwork, archival photography, and stories in an unforgettable presentation,鈥 Cunetto said. 鈥淭hose who have attended the festival in the past will agree they have never seen anything like this.鈥

The festival includes tours of the Templeton Music Museum, seminars and the always-popular silent movies, along with evening concerts held in Lee Hall鈥檚 Bettersworth Auditorium.

鈥淲e have an exciting lineup this year,鈥 Cunetto said. 鈥淚n addition to Kirby and our musical director Jeff Barnhart, we welcome back Dave Bennett and Hal Smith, and are happy to introduce educator and pianist Taslimah Bey. Her performances, while channeling the old masters, are iconoclastic and celebrate the American spirit of acknowledging the past while celebrating the future.鈥

The festival also honors a music student each year through the Keyone Docher Student Achievement Award. This year鈥檚 honoree is Desmond Henderson, an 黑料社 undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education degree with concentrations in piano and voice. He will perform during the Friday evening concert. The award is named after Docher, an 黑料社 music education student who performed during the 2014 festival and died later that year.

Tickets are on sale at the . For more information, including a complete schedule of events and parking information, visit .