Jazz: Spirituals, Prayer and Protest Concert

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Fairchild Theatre

3:00 pm

Seating Availability: Advance ticket distribution is at capacity. However, there will be some seats available and offered at the door.

This event is free and open to the public. Ticket required for entry. Available over the phone at 517-353-5340 or for pick-up from the College of Music Main Office in Room 102 of the Music Building, 333 W. Circle Drive, East Lansing, M-F, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Any remaining tickets will be made available at the door.

Please note that unclaimed will-call tickets will be released 10 minutes before the event.

Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the enduring power of music to call for equality, courage, and social change. This year’s Jazz: Spirituals, Prayer, and Protest concert centers on the theme “Justice for All: A Legacy of Courage and Commitment,” highlighting jazz’s deep historical ties to reflection, resilience, and collective action.

Featuring the MSU Jazz Orchestras and jazz voice students of artist-faculty member Carmen Bradford, the program weaves spirituals and expressive jazz works into a moving musical journey that uplifts the enduring messages of hope and justice at the heart of Dr. King’s legacy.

Generously sponsored by Pat and Mary McPharlin, with special thanks to the MSU Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact for supporting this event.

Event Program

The program features select works by influential composers whose music speaks directly to hope, struggle, and the pursuit of justice. Highlights include traditional spirituals, powerful jazz works by Charles Mingus and Max Roach, and enduring selections by Duke Ellington. The concert also draws from the songbooks of Oliver Nelson, Pat Metheny, and Donny Hathaway, alongside well-known standards by Rodgers and Hammerstein and classic jazz repertoire by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael.

Vocalists include Junfeng “Jeff” Song, Alirna Korieva, Amber-Elizabeth EROZ-Wardford, and Adrianne Evans.