NEC Students and Faculty Teach and Perform at the 21st Panama Jazz Festival

NEC students, faculty, and alumni finished up six days of teaching and making music in Panama City during the 21st annual Panama Jazz Festival. 

For over a decade, NEC's Jazz Studies department and Community Performances & Partnerships (CPP) program have partnered with the Panama Jazz Festival to create an exciting experience for NEC jazz and classical musicians. During the six-day festival, faculty and students from jazz and chamber ensembles, including NEC’s graduate piano trio-in-residence, Trio Gaia, taught classes, participated in workshops, attended performances, and took the stage themselves. For NEC students, the festival is a chance to receive the kind of mentorship and training that will support their growth as educators and global music citizens.

Scroll through for a photo recap of the 21st annual Panama Jazz Festival. 

 

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Julia Connor ’16 MM (left), NEC’s graduate piano trio-in-residence Trio Gaia (middle), and NEC faculty mentor Tanya Maggi, Dean of Community Engagement and Professional Studies (right), led the Intercambio de Musica Clasica at the Panama Jazz Festival. 

 

Guitarist Sebastian Fuentes ’26 DMA teaching a class.

Guitarist Sebastian Fuentes ’26 DMA teaches a class. 

 

Drummer Carlo Kind ’25 MM teaches a class.

Drummer Carlo Kind ’25 MM teaches a class. 

 

Yi-Mei Templeman ’22, ’23 GD, ’24 MM, cellist of Trio Gaia, teaches students.

 Yi-Mei Templeman ’22, ’23 GD, ’24 MM, cellist of Trio Gaia, teaches students. 

 

Trio Gaia, Julia Connor ’16 MM, and jazz students Carlo Kind ’25 MM, Daniel Mayer ’25 MM, Lenka Molcanyiova ’25 MM, and Sebastian Fuentes ’26 DMA at Gala Night.

Trio Gaia, Julia Connor ’16 MM, and jazz students Carlo Kind ’25 MM, Daniel Mayer ’25 MM, Lenka Molcanyiova ’25 MM, and Sebastian Fuentes ’26 DMA at Gala Night.

 

Andrew Barnwell ’20, ’23 MM, ’24 GD, pianist in Trio Gaia, teaches a student.

Andrew Barnwell ’20, ’23 MM, ’24 GD, pianist in Trio Gaia, teaches a student.

 

Saxophonist Lenka Molcanyiova ’25 MM teaching a class.

Saxophonist Lenka Molcanyiova ’25 MM teaches a class. 
 

Alumna Julia Connor ’16 MM teaches students.

Alumna Julia Connor ’16 MM teaches students. 

 

Carlo Kind ‘25 MM, Lenka Molcanyiova ‘25 MM, Daniel Mayer ‘25 MM, Danilo Pérez (founder and artistic director of the Panama Jazz Festival), and NEC Jazz Studies Co-Chair Ken Schaphorst with Ellen Argyros.

Carlo Kind ’25 MM, Lenka Molcanyiova ‘25 MM, Daniel Mayer ‘25 MM, Danilo Pérez (founder and artistic director of the Panama Jazz Festival), and NEC Jazz Studies Co-Chair Ken Schaphorst with Ellen Argyros.

 

NEC jazz students leading a jam session at Villa Agustina in Panama

NEC jazz students leading a jam session at Villa Agustina in Panama.

 

NEC jazz quintet performing in the City of Knowledge in Panama.

 NEC jazz quintet performing in the City of Knowledge in Panama.

 

Trumpeter Richard Stanmeyer ’24 MM teaches a class.

Trumpeter Richard Stanmeyer ’24 MM teaches a class.

 

Julia Connor ’16 MM, Trio Gaia, and Tanya Maggi at the Panama Jazz Festival Artist Reception.

Julia Connor ’16 MM, Trio Gaia, and Tanya Maggi at the Panama Jazz Festival Artist Reception. 

 

Students of the Intercambio de Musica Clasica

 Students of the Intercambio de Musica Clasica.