Week-long event celebrates the centennial and enduring Influence of the late composer, educator, conductor, and New England Conservatory president and spotlights the next generation of musical artists. Guest artists include pianists Christopher O’Riley and Fred Hersch, violinist Joel Smirnoff, French horn player Richard Todd, the Gramercy Trio, Marimolin, bassist Ed Schuller, drummer George Schuller, Carl Atkins, and more
New England Conservatory (NEC) presents the week-long festival Jumpin’ in the Future: The Legacy of Gunther Schuller from November 15 to November 22, 2025.
The festival features performances and discussions at whose core is the fearless innovation and revolutionary spirit Schuller brought to NEC and which continues to this day. A MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize winner, Schuller began a decade as president of NEC in 1967 establishing the first fully accredited Jazz Studies Department at an American conservatory and launching the Third Stream Department, now the Contemporary Musical Arts Department. His revolutionary vision of musical artistry and education embraced cross-cultural dialogue including music from all corners of the globe.
“Gunther Schuller was the ultimate musical polyglot, breaking down boundaries between genres and inspiring future generations to embrace the full spectrum of artistic expression,” said NEC Jazz Studies Department Chair Ken Schaphorst. “NEC was transformed by his inclusive and forward-looking approach to education. And I'm looking forward to celebrating Gunther's legacy with the NEC community.”
The festival recognizes Schuller’s enduring outsized influence on NEC faculty, students, alumni, and the global music community. In celebrating his legacy, the Conservatory looks to a future that builds on his example of breaking barriers and bringing together once-disparate artistic voices. “While tradition certainly informs our direction,” Conservatory President Andrea Kalyn said, “that direction moves forever forward. NEC is singular in its historically proactive exploration of what music education can and should look and sound like.”
The Celebration of NEC’s Preparatory School’s 75th Anniversary includes a performance of Gunther Schuller’s Music for a Celebration, as well as Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and James P. Johnson’s Victory Stride.
This special evening of chamber music looks at Gunther Schuller the composer, through his works, the composers who influenced him, and composers who drew inspiration from him. In the collaborative spirit of Schuller, students and faculty from multiple departments share the same stage in performances that include three works by Schuller including his Quartet for Double Basses, the third movement of his Piano Trio, and his Sonata for Oboe and Piano, as well as the second movement of Charles Ives’s Piano Trio, Arnold Schoenberg’s Phantasy for Violin and Piano, and Ethan Iverson’s Clarinet Sextet, with Iverson on piano.
The Contemporary Musical Arts program will celebrate Gunther Schuller’s 100th birthday with a concert focusing on how his daringly inclusive musical and educational vision transformed NEC into a global artistic musical scene. Schuller's legacy, carried forward from the 1970s through the early 2000s by our emeritus chair, Ran Blake, still informs our department's rich intercultural musical dialog nearly sixty years after Schuller became president, and has become a primary template for innovation in musical creativity worldwide. Tonight's program, produced by current chair Eden MacAdam-Somer and former co-chair Hankus Netsky, will feature performances by CMA students and faculty, drawing on sources that have inspired CMA students throughout our department's history: American Roots music, Early Jazz, Yiddish song, Film Noir, traditional and original music from Central Asia, the Middle East, China, and Haiti, and selections from the repertoire of Billie Holiday, Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, Joe Maneri and Miles Davis.
Among Gunther Schuller’s many important contributions to our musical life was his passionate advocacy of American music of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Composers of that era whom he championed included Charles Ives, Scott Joplin, John Knowles Paine, and one of his predecessors as the leader of NEC, George Whitefield Chadwick. Clancy Ellis ’26 GD conducts the NEC Symphony in a program featuring Chadwick's “Jubilee" from Symphonic Sketches, Strauss’s Overture to Die Fledermaus, Stravinsky’s Suite from The Firebird, Gunther Schuller’s arrangement of Joplin’s Overture to Treemonisha, and Schuller’s best-known orchestral composition, Seven Studies on Themes of Paul Klee.
The NEC Jazz Orchestra reflects on the Gunther Schuller’s role in creating the first fully accredited jazz studies program in a conservatory, performing Schuller’s “Jumpin’ in the Future,” Ellington’s “Reminiscing in Tempo,” George Russell’s All About Rosie, and Mehmet Sanlıkol’s “Temmuz.” Guests include Fred Hersch, George Schuller, and Carl Atkins, who was hired by Schuller as the first Jazz Studies Department chair.
NEC faculty member Bruce Brubaker and others will play recordings and discuss Schuller’s broad impact.
Of Reminiscences and Reflections: Celebrating Gunther Schuller’s 100th Birthday Friday, November 21, 2025 / 7:00 pm Pre-Concert Short Videos / Keller Room 8:00 pm Concert / Jordan Hall
This special event includes live performances, recorded audio, projected images, and commentary featuring Gunther Schuller, Charles Peltz, Hankus Netsky, David Amram, and others, celebrating Schuller’s deep effect on numerous musicians and the path of 20th and 21st century music. The concert features performances by pianists Ran Blake, Fred Hersch ’77, Randall Hodgkinson ’76, ’80 MM, ’82 AD, and Christopher O’Riley ’81 AD; vocalist Dominique Eade ’82, ’89 AD; violinist Joel Smirnoff; French horn player Richard Todd; the Gramercy Trio with violinist Sharan Leventhal, cellist Jonathan Miller, and Hodgkinson; the duo Marimolin with marimbist Nancy Zeltsman ’82 and Leventhal; bassist Ed Schuller; and drummer George Schuller ’82. In addition, Ken Schaphorst will lead members of the NEC Philharmonia in a performance of Celka Ojakangas’ composition Sploopy, which won the Gunther Schuller Centennial Third Stream Composition Contest. Music by Johannes Brahms, Denzil Best, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, and Schuller will also be performed. This event is co-sponsored by NEC and The Gunther Schuller Society.
Saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky gave the world premiere of Schuller's Saxophone Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and made his Carnegie Hall debut with the New York premiere of the piece, with both performances conducted by the composer. On the day of Gunther Schuller's 100th birthday, Radnofsky honors the person who appointed him to the NEC faculty with a program that also serves as his personal tribute.
The Conservatory’s roster of alumni includes hundreds of music's most influential artists. That list includes Coretta Scott King, Florence Price, Tessa Lark, George Li, Inmo Yang, Yura Lee, Stefan Jackiw, Anthony Leon, Erica Petrocelli, Minsoo Sohn, Cecil Taylor, and Denyce Graves.
As an independent, not-for-profit institution that educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, NEC is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools. It cultivates a diverse, dynamic community, providing music students of more than 40 countries with performance opportunities and high-caliber training from 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of music-making and teaching through college-level training in classical, jazz, and contemporary musical arts. The newly launched Institute for Concert Artists propels such young artists to the heights of their potential. Through unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships, the Conservatory empowers students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC’s mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, NEC’s Expanded Education programs deliver training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, and adults.
The festival features performances and discussions at whose core is the fearless innovation and revolutionary spirit Schuller brought to NEC and which continues to this day. A MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize winner, Schuller began a decade as president of NEC in 1967 establishing the first fully accredited Jazz Studies Department at an American conservatory and launching the Third Stream Department, now the Contemporary Musical Arts Department. His revolutionary vision of musical artistry and education embraced cross-cultural dialogue including music from all corners of the globe.
“Gunther Schuller was the ultimate musical polyglot, breaking down boundaries between genres and inspiring future generations to embrace the full spectrum of artistic expression,” said NEC Jazz Studies Department Chair Ken Schaphorst. “NEC was transformed by his inclusive and forward-looking approach to education. And I'm looking forward to celebrating Gunther's legacy with the NEC community.”
The festival recognizes Schuller’s enduring outsized influence on NEC faculty, students, alumni, and the global music community. In celebrating his legacy, the Conservatory looks to a future that builds on his example of breaking barriers and bringing together once-disparate artistic voices. “While tradition certainly informs our direction,” Conservatory President Andrea Kalyn said, “that direction moves forever forward. NEC is singular in its historically proactive exploration of what music education can and should look and sound like.”
NEC Festival: Jumpin’ in the Future: The Legacy of Gunther Schuller on his Centennial
Prep 75: Anniversary Celebration Concert
Saturday, November 15 / 6:00 pm / Jordan HallThe Celebration of NEC’s Preparatory School’s 75th Anniversary includes a performance of Gunther Schuller’s Music for a Celebration, as well as Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and James P. Johnson’s Victory Stride.
Chamber Music + Sonatas: Schuller and the Spirit of Collaboration
Monday, November 17, 2025 / 7:30 pm / Jordan HallThis special evening of chamber music looks at Gunther Schuller the composer, through his works, the composers who influenced him, and composers who drew inspiration from him. In the collaborative spirit of Schuller, students and faculty from multiple departments share the same stage in performances that include three works by Schuller including his Quartet for Double Basses, the third movement of his Piano Trio, and his Sonata for Oboe and Piano, as well as the second movement of Charles Ives’s Piano Trio, Arnold Schoenberg’s Phantasy for Violin and Piano, and Ethan Iverson’s Clarinet Sextet, with Iverson on piano.
Contemporary Musical Arts Today: A Global Vision Realized
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 / 7:30 pm / Jordan HallThe Contemporary Musical Arts program will celebrate Gunther Schuller’s 100th birthday with a concert focusing on how his daringly inclusive musical and educational vision transformed NEC into a global artistic musical scene. Schuller's legacy, carried forward from the 1970s through the early 2000s by our emeritus chair, Ran Blake, still informs our department's rich intercultural musical dialog nearly sixty years after Schuller became president, and has become a primary template for innovation in musical creativity worldwide. Tonight's program, produced by current chair Eden MacAdam-Somer and former co-chair Hankus Netsky, will feature performances by CMA students and faculty, drawing on sources that have inspired CMA students throughout our department's history: American Roots music, Early Jazz, Yiddish song, Film Noir, traditional and original music from Central Asia, the Middle East, China, and Haiti, and selections from the repertoire of Billie Holiday, Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, Joe Maneri and Miles Davis.
NEC Symphony + David Loebel: Schuller and Stravinsky’s Firebird
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 / 7:30 pm / Jordan HallAmong Gunther Schuller’s many important contributions to our musical life was his passionate advocacy of American music of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Composers of that era whom he championed included Charles Ives, Scott Joplin, John Knowles Paine, and one of his predecessors as the leader of NEC, George Whitefield Chadwick. Clancy Ellis ’26 GD conducts the NEC Symphony in a program featuring Chadwick's “Jubilee" from Symphonic Sketches, Strauss’s Overture to Die Fledermaus, Stravinsky’s Suite from The Firebird, Gunther Schuller’s arrangement of Joplin’s Overture to Treemonisha, and Schuller’s best-known orchestral composition, Seven Studies on Themes of Paul Klee.
Jazz Without Borders: Schuller’s Bold Experiment at NEC
Thursday, November 20 / 7:30 pm | Jordan HallThe NEC Jazz Orchestra reflects on the Gunther Schuller’s role in creating the first fully accredited jazz studies program in a conservatory, performing Schuller’s “Jumpin’ in the Future,” Ellington’s “Reminiscing in Tempo,” George Russell’s All About Rosie, and Mehmet Sanlıkol’s “Temmuz.” Guests include Fred Hersch, George Schuller, and Carl Atkins, who was hired by Schuller as the first Jazz Studies Department chair.
Piano Seminar: The Legacy of Gunther Schuller
Friday, November 21, 2025 / 10 am / Keller RoomNEC faculty member Bruce Brubaker and others will play recordings and discuss Schuller’s broad impact.
Of Reminiscences and Reflections: Celebrating Gunther Schuller’s 100th Birthday Friday, November 21, 2025 / 7:00 pm Pre-Concert Short Videos / Keller Room 8:00 pm Concert / Jordan Hall
This special event includes live performances, recorded audio, projected images, and commentary featuring Gunther Schuller, Charles Peltz, Hankus Netsky, David Amram, and others, celebrating Schuller’s deep effect on numerous musicians and the path of 20th and 21st century music. The concert features performances by pianists Ran Blake, Fred Hersch ’77, Randall Hodgkinson ’76, ’80 MM, ’82 AD, and Christopher O’Riley ’81 AD; vocalist Dominique Eade ’82, ’89 AD; violinist Joel Smirnoff; French horn player Richard Todd; the Gramercy Trio with violinist Sharan Leventhal, cellist Jonathan Miller, and Hodgkinson; the duo Marimolin with marimbist Nancy Zeltsman ’82 and Leventhal; bassist Ed Schuller; and drummer George Schuller ’82. In addition, Ken Schaphorst will lead members of the NEC Philharmonia in a performance of Celka Ojakangas’ composition Sploopy, which won the Gunther Schuller Centennial Third Stream Composition Contest. Music by Johannes Brahms, Denzil Best, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, and Schuller will also be performed. This event is co-sponsored by NEC and The Gunther Schuller Society.
Faculty Recital: Kenneth Radnofsky
Saturday, November 22, 2025 / 8:00 pm / Burnes HallSaxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky gave the world premiere of Schuller's Saxophone Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and made his Carnegie Hall debut with the New York premiere of the piece, with both performances conducted by the composer. On the day of Gunther Schuller's 100th birthday, Radnofsky honors the person who appointed him to the NEC faculty with a program that also serves as his personal tribute.
About New England Conservatory (NEC)
Founded by Eben Tourjée in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1867, New England Conservatory (NEC) represents a new model of music school that combines the best of European tradition with American innovation. The school stands at the center of Boston’s rich cultural history and musical life, presenting concerts at the renowned Jordan Hall. Propelled by profound artistry, bold creativity, and deep compassion, NEC seeks to amplify musicians’ impact on advancing our shared humanity and empowers students to meet today’s changing world head-on, equipped with the tools and confidence to forge multidimensional lives of artistic depth and relevance.The Conservatory’s roster of alumni includes hundreds of music's most influential artists. That list includes Coretta Scott King, Florence Price, Tessa Lark, George Li, Inmo Yang, Yura Lee, Stefan Jackiw, Anthony Leon, Erica Petrocelli, Minsoo Sohn, Cecil Taylor, and Denyce Graves.
As an independent, not-for-profit institution that educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, NEC is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools. It cultivates a diverse, dynamic community, providing music students of more than 40 countries with performance opportunities and high-caliber training from 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of music-making and teaching through college-level training in classical, jazz, and contemporary musical arts. The newly launched Institute for Concert Artists propels such young artists to the heights of their potential. Through unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships, the Conservatory empowers students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC’s mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, NEC’s Expanded Education programs deliver training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, and adults.
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