University Newswire
Civil War program continues Jan. 30 at UNCP
UNC Pembroke’s History Department will present its spring 2012 Civil War program, “The Civil War Origins of New Orleans Jazz,” on Monday, January 30, in the University Center Annex. The event, featuring Professor Aaron Vandermeer of the Department of Music, will begin at 6 p.m., and is free and open to the public.
“The American Civil War and subsequent Reconstruction era had a profound effect on music-making in this country,” Vandermeer argues, “and nowhere is this more evident than in the African American communities of New Orleans and its surrounding areas.” His presentation will discuss the unique community of New Orleans, its role in the war, and the effects of Reconstruction on its music, leading ultimately to the New Orleans-style brass bands and jazz.
The program fits well with the Department of History’s goals for its Civil War Speaker Series, noted Dr. Jaime Martinez, assistant professor of history and director of the series. “As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I want to constantly emphasize that the war affected every level of society and every aspect of people’s lives,” she said. “Also, I like to talk about unexpected elements of the war because I’m hoping to broaden the audience for these types of programs. I’m hoping people who never thought they would care about the Civil War will find something that catches their attention.”
Vandermeer is the director of the Jazz Studies and Music Business programs at UNCP. His classroom responsibilities include Jazz Composition, Jazz Pedagogy, Improvisation, and Jazz Appreciation. Ensembles under his direction include the University Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos.
Vandermeer is a doctoral candidate in brass literature and pedagogy at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Ind., where he also received his Master of Music degree in jazz studies. His doctoral minors are in jazz and music theory. At Indiana University, Vandermeer was an associate instructor to David N. Baker in the Jazz Department for four years. An active scholar specializing in the area of New Orleans brass band music, he is currently working on a project titled “The Effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Brass Bands of New Orleans.”
For more information on the series, please contact Dr. Martinez at 910.775.4031 or email jaime.martinez@uncp.edu.
© The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
PO Box 1510 Pembroke, NC 28372-1510 • 910.521.6000