Community and Engagement

The UConn Department of Music hosts and participates in many community and engagement programs.

For specific information regarding each program, please select from the options below.

High School Jazz Festival

UConn will host the High School Jazz Festival on February 4th and 5th, 2027. For more information, please contact John Mastroianni.

Honor Band

UConn will not be hosting an Honor Band Festival in the 2026-2027 academic year. For more information, please contact Dr. Janet Song Kim.

Band Together

2026 Band Together Schedule

Piano Day

Piano Day 2026

Friday, October 23, 2026

von der Mehden Recital Hall
875 Coventry Rd, Storrs, CT 06269

Get tickets to the 7:30pm Jeremy Denk Heilig Memorial Concert

For more information, visit the event page.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

11:00 am - Hung from the Willow Trees: Global Circulation of Renaissance Keyboards in Early Modern Sub-Saharan Africa

Janie Cole, UConn Assistant Professor of Musicology

von der Mehden Recital Hall

12:00 pm - Odesa Suite: Turning Memory, Place, and History into Music

Vadim Neselovskyi, Berklee College of Music Faculty

von der Mehden Recital Hall

1:25 pm - Convocation Performance and Q&A with Jeremy Denk

von der Mehden Recital Hall

3:30 pm - Finding Your Voice Through Improvisation

Vadim Neselovskyi, Berklee College of Music Faculty

Music Building 229

4:30 pm - Embodied Presence Beyond the Notes: An Actor's Approach to Musical Storytelling

Chelsea Thaler, UConn Visiting Assistant Professor of Acting

Music Building 229

7:30 pm - Jeremy Denk Heilig Memorial Concert

von der Mehden Recital Hall

Sing On UConn

Sing On UConn

String Fest

UConn String Fest will be held on March 3rd, 2027. For more information, please contact Dr. Paul McShee.

Young Conductor’s Symposium

Young Conductors Symposium 2026

Young Conductor's Symposium

Thursday - September 17, 2026

On Thursday, September 17th, UConn Music hosts the 13th Annual Young Conductors Symposium. This free event is open to any high school student and their directors. Students need not sing in a choir and, if over 18, may come themselves. No fee to participate...everyone welcome! 
Pre-registration for 2026 has closed but we encourage you to follow our announcements as we plan next year's symposium. If you have any questions, please email ellen.voth@uconn.edu. 
8:30 a.m. Welcome/sign-in/ice-breakers
9:00 a.m. Body awareness exercises and warm-ups
9:30 a.m. presentation—Jessica Dickerson, Director of Athletic Bands
10:00 a.m. small group discussion on leadership led by choral methods students
10:30 a.m. presentation—Dr. Ellen Gilson Voth, Director of Choral Studies
11:00 a.m. presentation—Dr. Cara Bernard, Associate Prof. of Music Education, with Intro to Music Education students
11:30 a.m. lunch break (Students on their own—restaurants across the street from the symposium) 
12:30 p.m. UConntabile demo with Sarah Kaufold, Conductor
1:00 p.m. Chamber Singers demo with Dr. Ellen Gilson Voth, Conductor
1:20 p.m. student panel (co-facilitated with Dr. Eric Rice, Professor of Music History and Director of Collegium) 
2:00 p.m. wrap-up and dismissal

Nearby restaurants listed from North to South.

Moe’s Southwest Grill – (This is like Chipotle)
Playa Bowls - smoothies
Daddy’s Noodle Bar
Dog Lane Café – organic, interesting, soups & salads to sandwiches & burgers
Subway
Insomnia Cookies
Moo-yah Burger – (like Five Guys)
Square Peg Pizzeria
Jefferson Fry Company - amazing loaded fries, burgers and more (past Moo-yah on Dog Lane) Eat Joy – Sushi bowls and bubble tea - (across the park to the right of UConn Health)
Blaze – Fast Fired pizza - like Subway for pizza – gluten free available (around the corner behind CVS)
Tea & More Café – Asian- rice bowls etc…. (past Blaze)
Dunkin Donuts (to the right of CVS)
Gansett Wraps – wraps, pizza, & more. (to the right of CVS)
Domino’s Pizza
Chang’s Garden – Chinese (past Dunkin)
Starbuck’s
Oriental Café – Chinese & Sushi
Tokyo Ramen - Chinese
DP Dough - Calzones
Little Alladin – Mediterranean food
Spice Venue – Indo-American food
Bagel Zone
Price Chopper - Grocery Store with many prepared foods (Sushi, Pizza, Subs, Chicken, and a dining area)

Get in touch!

High School Music Directors can use the form below to submit current contact information.