The Charles Templeton Ragtime Jazz Festival is sponsored by the MSU Libraries and the Charles Templeton Sr. Music Museum as a means of enhancing the research in the area of ragtime music, increasing the awareness of the Templeton collection housed in the MSU Library and introducing people to the sounds of Ragtime being performed by world-renowned ragtime musicians.

The festival is comprised of a blend of major concerts, mini-concerts, seminars and tours of the Music Museum. Seminars are held in Mitchell Memorial Library and major concerts are held at the Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall on the MSU Campus.

Schedule of Events:

February 22, 2024:

6:00pm: The Gatsby Gala

The film The Great Gatsby premiered in 2013. The organizers of the Charles H. Templeton, Sr. Ragtime and Jazz Festival saw an opportunity to invite and include more MSU students. In 2014, they added the Gatsby Gala to the Festival's offerings. The Gala features a runway show of 1920s-inspired garments, designed, created, and modeled by MSU Fashion Design and Merchandising students.

Location: Mitchell Memorial Library, 2nd floor Atrium

February 23, 2024:

All daytime events are in the Charles H. Templeton, Sr. Music Museum (Mitchell Memorial Library) unless otherwise noted.

10:00 - 10:50am: Performer Group Chat
"The varying roads taken, and choices made, to find us here today" - moderated by Jeff Barnhart

11:00 - 11:30am: Mini-Concert
With Anne Barnhart, Dave Majchrzak, Jeff Barnhart

11:40am - 12:30pm: Silent Films
with Jeff Barnhart and Josh Duffee

12:30 - 2:00pm: Lunch on your own

2:00 - 2:50pm: Behind Closed Doors: Women's Significant (and Sometimes Secret) Contribution to Ragtime
With Dave Majchrzak

3:00 - 3:20pm: Mini-Concert
With Louis Ford (accompanied by Jeff Barnhart and Josh Duffee)

3:30 - 4:20pm: From Cylinders to the Stage: How Musical Styles of the 20th Century are Preserved and the Role That Plays in the World Today
With T. J. Müller

6:30pm: Doors open for Evening Concert

Location: McComas Hall, 216 President's Circle

7:00pm: Evening Concert
Featuring The Sweet&Hot Quartet, Louis Ford, and Dave Majchrzak, plus the Keyone Docher Student Award recipient

Location: McComas Hall, 216 President's Circle

February 24, 2024:

All daytime events are in the Charles H. Templeton, Sr. Music Museum (Mitchell Memorial Library) unless otherwise noted.

10:00 - 10:50am: Tour of the Templeton Music Museum
With Lynda Graham and Jeff Barnhart

11:00 - 11:20am: Mini-Concert
With T. J. Müller and Jeff Barnhart

11:30am - 12:20pm: New Sheet Music Added To the Templeton Collection!
With Chip Templeton

12:20 - 2:00pm: Lunch on your own

2:00 - 2:50pm: Mallet Men: The Forgotten Xylophone Superstars of the 1920s
With Josh Duffee

3:00 - 3:50pm: New Orleans, the Birthplace of Jazz: An Overview of the Origins and Influences of African, European and Caribbean Instruments and Rhythms and the Evolution Into Modern Jazz
With Louis Ford

4:00 - 4:30am: Informal Jam Session
With All Musicians

6:30pm: Doors open for Evening Concert

Location: McComas Hall, 216 President's Circle

7:00pm: Evening Concert
Featuring The Sweet&Hot Quartet, Louis Ford, and Dave Majchrzak, plus a special performance by Gwyen Elizabeth Franklin

Location: McComas Hall, 216 President's Circle

Dates: February 22 - 24, 2024

Location:

Mitchell Memorial Library,
395 Hardy Road,
Mississippi State, MS 39762.

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