9th Annual Emerging Artist Festival, 2026

The Vermont Jazz Center presents flutist and vocalist Elena Pinderhughes on Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 PM as part of its 9th Emerging Artist Festival. Keyboardist/pianist Maya Kronfeld, bassist Parker McCallister, and drummer Justin Tyson will join her. This quartet of young, heavy hitters demonstrates the breadth and depth of jazz’s new generation. All of the members of the band are skilled producers; their familiarity with the recording studio and genres like Afro-beat, modern R&B, and hip-hop are tools they use to explore new soundscapes. Nonetheless, their music continues to draw from the subtleties of the jazz language.

About Elena Pinderhughes

Pinderhughes is a flutist and vocalist who has strongly emerged onto the scene due to her undeniable talent and work ethic. Raised in Berkeley, California, she began training in classical flute and voice at age seven. She recorded her first album at age nine and was featured on the HBO special The Music in Me at eleven. As a youth she fell in love with jazz and R&B, focusing mainly on the tributaries of Black music including hip-hop and soul. She attended the Manhattan School of Music as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. While living in New York, she networked, played at jam sessions, and joined creative forces with forward-seeking mentors like Ambrose Akinmusire and Terri Lyne Carrington. In 2016, Pinderhughes was named the number one Rising Star flutist in DownBeat Magazine. Her intentional sound and facility as an improviser have been demonstrated to listeners throughout the world during many years of touring with trumpeter Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), with whom she appeared at the Jazz Center in 2017. She has toured or recorded with Herbie Hancock, Moonchild, Robert Glasper, Yebba, Esperanza Spalding, Kenny Barron, Common, and many others.

Her new album, I hope you feel it too, illustrates a journey she will tap into at the Jazz Center’s November 7 concert. Pinderhughes has described wanting to bring jazz “back to feeling, back to everyday life.” The album explores “heartbreak, tenderness, confidence, uncertainty, joy, sensuality, grief, and the complicated experience of growing into yourself.”

Along with her devotion to music, Pinderhughes has a lifelong commitment to activism including examining her position as a biracial woman in the African diaspora. She has spoken about the influence of her family’s connection to African heritage and a six-month family sabbatical to Cuba. She is committed to human rights with a focus on education and has described developing a program called Girl’s Empowerment Through the Arts for young girls of color, using music to support self-confidence, expression, and ways to process trauma and what is happening in the world.

The Ensemble

Maya Kronfeld — Jazz pianist, keyboardist, and scholar, Maya Kronfeld is a Professor of Theory at Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor at Duke University, with appointments in Literature, Philosophy, and Music. As an accomplished jazz musician, she played organ on Nicole Zuraitis’ How Love Begins, featuring bassist Christian McBride, which won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

Parker McCallister — Brooklyn bassist (electric and acoustic). Parker McCallister has toured the world performing with Grammy Award-winning Sweet Honey in the Rock, as well as Jazzmeia Horn, Mathis Picard Trio, Rah Digga, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, and many others. He attended New England Conservatory, toured extensively throughout Central and South America, and served on the faculty at the Swarna Bhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai, India. As a producer, he has contributed to projects featured on Ropeadope Records and NPR’s Tiny Desk.

Justin Tyson — Drummer. Justin Tyson was brought up in the church in Indiana. His credits include Grammy Award-winning work with Robert Glasper, Lalah Hathaway, Esperanza Spalding, Derrick Hodge, Ledisi, Maxwell, Terrace Martin, Chief Adjuah, Yebba, Milton Nascimento, and many others. He is currently the drummer with Jason Lindner’s Now vs. Now.

Sponsors and Acknowledgements

The EAF illustrates the great potential of our music moving forward. The only way this is possible is through community support. This festival is sponsored in honor of the memory of two important women who were champions of the arts: Diana Bingham and Eve Baker. The families of each of these magnificent women contributed towards making this possible.

Concert publicity is underwritten by The Commons and The Brattleboro Reformer. The VJC is also grateful to the Vermont Arts Council for its support and increased efforts in supporting arts organizations throughout the state. The VJC also gives thanks to @PeterPapRugs for the loan of an early 20th century Bakhtiari Carpet.

Livestream is available for the clinic at 4pm and the concert at 7:30pm. If you experience any issues during the livestream, please refresh your browser and make sure to press the play button to resume watching.

Join Us for the Rest of the Season

Visit vtjazz.org/calendar/ for more information about future concerts and programs. If you enjoy what you hear, please consider donating through the donation button above.

About the Emerging Artist Festival

The Emerging Artist Festival (EAF) began as a way to intentionally feature young, emerging artists in the Jazz Center’s concert programming. Now in its 9th year, the program brings together student performances, artist clinics, and a headline concert, connecting young musicians with inspiring mentors and other youth involved with jazz music.

Friday, November 6 @ 118 Elliot St. Gallery

5:15 pm VJC Youth Ensemble I (Eugene Uman, Dir.)

Alexandra Patuto (flute), Valo Leslie (piano), Vinny Andreoli Steinberg (drums)

5:35 pm VJC Youth Ensemble II (Eugene Uman & Michael McKinney, Dir.)

Jesse Olsson (voice), Clenn Forst (trumpet), Asher Titov-Chiaravalle (tenor sax), Taylor Ridley (tenor sax), River Olsson (alto sax), Ben Antin (piano), Sal North (bass), Vinny Andreoli Steinberg (drums)

6:05 pm Academy at Charlemont (Jared Cruz, Dir.)

Maddie Sabelawski (alto sax), Joe Mason (guitar), Ezekiel Mirin (keys), Liam Hayden (keys), Sofia Mason (bass), Saul Hirshberg (drums)

6:35 pm Northfield Mt. Hermon HS Honors Jazz Combo (Ron Smith, Dir.)

Porter Cram (sax), Lewin Kasser (piano), Nate Chuang (bass), Dalen Li (drums)

7:05 pm Amherst College Vega Ensemble (Geoff Cunningham, Dir. & Carl Clements, Dir.)

Benny Hu (alto sax), Nate Scharf (tenor sax), Will Sommers (piano), Myles Kaplan (bass), Cici Bradley (drums)

7:35 pm Keene State College Jazz Ensemble (Steve Cady, Dir.)

Peter Early (voice), Matthew Derouin (clarinet/sax), Maxwell Berry (vibes), Julien Triana-Vance (guitar), May Ellen Cassidy (bass), Noah Horgan (drums)

8:05 pm Pioneer Valley Performing Arts HS (Rahul Roy, Dir.)

Vocals: Juniper Brucato, Taty Cruz, Camille Dzuria, Jax Cass, Abbie Miller, Marcos Nieves Santiago; Horns: Samara Sawyer, Will Powell; Keys: Mia Rosario, Radha Grip; Guitars: Miles Santanello, Camden Fitchet; Bass: Kaitlin Hosmer; Drums: Maggie Grant

 

Saturday, November 7 at the Vermont Jazz Center

11:00 am Northfield Mt. Hermon HS Jazz Ensemble (Ron Smith, Dir.)

Sax: Porter Cram, William Li, Nate Chuang; Trumpet: Malcome Sprague, Petra Harris; Trombone: Porry Li, Phineas Sprague; Rhythm: Luan Casser (piano), Jihoo Jang (bass), Benjamin Birchmore (drums)

11:35 am Emily Margaret (voice) & Archer Parks (guitar)

12:00 pm Amherst College Sirius Ensemble (David Picci & Bruce Diehl, Dir.)

Sura Zhaing (voice), Noah Turbes (trumpet), Tony Yang (sax), Terry Qi (guitar), Parker Smith (piano), Ajika Sawyer (bass), Aaron Watkins (drums)

12:30 pm UMass Chamber Jazz Ensemble (Jeff Holmes, Dir.)

Emilio Giambarella (sax), Sebastina Lightcap (trombone), Andy Carlson (guitar), Noah Holmes (bass), Shreyas Jatling (drums)

1:05 pm UMass Graduate Jazz Quartet (No Dir.)

Aidan Higgins (sax, EWI), Greer Lambert (vibes), Fletcher Clark (bass), Nate Scott (drums)

2:00 pm Brattleboro Union HS Madrigals (Julie Ackerman-Hovis, Dir.)

Elisabeth Abualjadail, Alexandra Aither, Malika Anthes, Max Arnini, Millie Becker, Gloria Burns, Liam Conathan-Leach, Ava Einig, Indigo Goldman, Ivana Greening, Finn Grutta, Levi Healey, Naveen Lalanne, Nya Lawson-Westfall, Zawadi Long, Max Nestel, MJ Shooer-Sampson, Laika Williams-Quinn

2:30 pm Brattleboro Union HS Jazz Band (Alex Brady, Dir.)

Sax: Adrianna Sidelinger, Philip Chapman, Ridley Taylor, Jason Donahue, Milo MacArthur; Trumpets: Jude Anders, Clenn Frost, Luna Milman, Conor McColgan, Alexandra Aither; Trombone: Gilbert Komuves, Elsa Anders, Finn Grutta, Tori Douglas; Rhythm: Noah Perillo (drums), Aviv Coleman (percussion), Sal North (bass), Indigo Goldman (piano), Liam Conathan-Leach (piano)

4:00 pm Clinic with Elena Pinderhughes Quartet

7:30 pm Concert (participating students attend for free)