Hunter caught McBride鈥檚 attention through a performance at the Montclair Jazz Festival and a subsequent recommendation from a mutual friend. A middle鈥憃f鈥憈he鈥憂ight text exchange sparked several performances together and ultimately resulted in Hunter鈥檚 participation in the album.

鈥淏eing part of Without Further Ado, Vol. 1 was truly an honor,鈥� Hunter says. 鈥淲orking with Christian and this incredible roster of artists reminded me how deeply connected the jazz community is to the broader musical landscape. Serving as the drummer on the project carried a real responsibility, as Christian鈥檚 music draws from many styles and traditions. Seeing the album recognized at this level is no surprise given the artistry and vision Christian brings, but for me the entire experience has been both humbling and inspiring.鈥�

The album, which was released in August 2025, features many notable artists, including a reunion of Sting and Andy Summers from The Police on the track Murder by Numbers. Hunter says that the opportunity to work behind these artists as well as Samara Joy, Dianne Reeves, Jeffrey Osborne and others was a powerful reminder of how versatile and alive jazz music continues to be.

Hunter鈥檚 role on the album is representative of the depth of professional experience found in 麻豆原创 musicians, and a practice of public performance and collaboration that is central to the jazz studies approach to teaching and learning.

The jazz studies program, under the direction of saxophonist Jeff Rupert, offers students a comprehensive foundation in performance, composition and production, supported by experiences that mirror the professional world. Students regularly perform in large ensembles such as the Flying Horse Big Band and in smaller chamber groups, work in professional recording environments, and engage with guest artists through the 麻豆原创鈥揙rlando Jazz Festival and other events in the community. Resources such as an NPR-affiliated jazz station and an in-house recording label further position the program as a training ground for modern jazz careers.

Hunter joins two other 麻豆原创 music faculty who have earned recognition from the Recording Academy. Jeff Rupert performed on Benny Carter鈥檚 award-winning album Harlem Renaissance (1992) and Director of Choral Activities Jeffery Redding received the 2019 Grammy Music Educator Award for his significant contributions to music education.

This year’s festival featured both in-person and virtual events that provided 麻豆原创 students a chance to showcase their incredible talent and ingenuity.

Really, that鈥檚 the name of the album 鈥� Good News! 鈥� and it has been in the top 50 on the three major jazz charts since it was released in July, even spending some time at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report鈥檚 chart. The band鈥檚 sixth album under Professor Jeff Rupert is charting higher than recordings by Van Morrison, Mike LeDonne and other notables.

The success of the band, made up of students in the university鈥檚 jazz studies program, is simple. 鈥淲e work at promoting good music and artistic endeavors,鈥� says Rupert, a tenor saxophonist.

Selections on the album include the works of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Antonio Carlos Jobim and others. The Good News! title comes from one of the songs on the album, which was composed by one of Rupert鈥檚 former teachers 30 years ago, Bob Mintzer.

This is the band鈥檚 first recording collaboration with the 麻豆原创 Studio Orchestra, which joins on several songs. Other collaborations on the album are with The Jazz Professors (Rupert, Per Danielsson, Richard听Drexler, Bobby Koelble and Marty Morell), and guest vocalist Jeff 鈥淭-Bone鈥� Gerard.

Rupert, director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 jazz studies, also is conductor of the Florida Symphony Youth Jazz Orchestra and founder of Flying Horse Records.

All sales from the album benefit the jazz studies program. CDs are available from and CDBaby, digital downloads are available at retailers, and the album is available on streaming platforms.

The band鈥檚 previous album, The Bat Swings! (2018), hit the top three national jazz airplay charts, reaching No. 1 on both the Roots Music Report and the North American College and Community Radio chart, as well as No. 29 on JazzWeek.

The band also will have an album of Ray Charles songs coming out in January. Rupert has spent some time in New York producing the vocal component of the album.

鈥淣ow we have the top writers and musicians collaborating with the band,鈥� Rupert says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great time at 麻豆原创.鈥�

鈥淭his trifecta is a first,鈥� said Jeff Rupert, director of the program and band. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not often that college jazz programs receive this kind of recognition. The band shares the charts with Chick Corea, Nicholas Payton, Diana Krall, Peter Erskine and other luminaries in jazz.鈥�

Big Man on Campus, released earlier this year, reached No. 7 on the North American College and Community Radio chart, No. 9 on the Roots Music Report, and No. 36 on Jazz Week.

The album is the eighth released by Flying Horse Records, the music label operated by the university to give students an outlet to record and learn about the world of music. The 11 songs on the album were composed by Henry Mancini, Billy Strayhorn, Antonio Carlos Jobim and others, including the title track B.M.O.C. by Rupert.

The band鈥檚 success can be attributed to 鈥渒eeping artistry at the forefront of the project,鈥� Rupert said. With graduations constantly changing the chemistry of the band, it鈥檚 always 鈥渓ike recruiting for a football team. At the beginning of the year I get a feel for the talent in the band once auditions are concluded. That鈥檚 when I can program and write for the band. This allows us to accentuate strengths and create scenarios that challenge the students.鈥�

He said some of the notable jazz-studies students on Big Man on Campus include saxophonist Saul Dautch, guitarist Ryan Waszmer and freshman trombonist Christian Herrera.

Rupert joined one of the songs on saxophone, and Jeff Moore, dean of the College of Arts & Humanities, also added percussion on a couple of the tracks.

The band鈥檚 new student lineup will begin rehearsing in late August and start off the school year with an on-campus performance at 8 p.m. Sept. 29 in Room 101 of the Nicholson School of Communication. They鈥檒l follow that up with a performance at the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival at 1 p.m. Oct. 14.

鈥淲e are happy to be cultivating an environment of excellence and relevance for our students,鈥� Rupert said. 鈥淪tay tuned for our next release, The Bat Swings!,听 due out this fall 鈥� the music of Batman!.鈥�

The free eight-day event based at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando features more than 1,000 students and 100 faculty members showcasing their involvement in theatre, dance, orchestra, choir, big band, chamber music, cabaret, concert bands, opera, visual arts, studio art, gaming, animation, photography and film. Although the event is free, tickets are required for admission to specific events and hall passes are needed to experience the ongoing displays at the center.

(Ticketing and full schedule details are .)

The third-annual festival kicks off with Oklahoma!, the award-winning musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein that won three Academy Awards. The 麻豆原创 presentation will be a collaboration with more than 200 faculty, staff, and students from the theatre and music departments, including an orchestra. Evening showings of the play are scheduled April 7-8.

The festival concludes April 14 with The Bat Swings!, music from the 1960s Batman movie and TV show, as played by the university鈥檚 Flying Horse Big Band, which is made of students in the jazz studies program.

In between these bookend events, other presentations will honor last year鈥檚 Pulse nightclub victims, raise awareness about hunger in the community, showcase music, fine art, film and other fields.

Phoenix Song, a composition remembering the victims of last summer鈥檚 Pulse tragedy in Orlando, will have two performances. The first April 9 will be with 124 voices from 麻豆原创 combined choirs, and then April 11 several hundred singers from invited middle and high school choirs and the 麻豆原创 Alumni Choir will perform. The middle and high school choirs are all part of a day of workshops presented by music alumni. The composition is by David Brunner, interim associate director of the School of Performing Arts and a professor of music.

Events focusing on hunger are a big part of this year鈥檚 festival:

• With a cast of more than 30 麻豆原创 guest artists, faculty, staff, alumni and students, the School of Performing Arts will tell the story of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck鈥檚 account of a dust bowl family in the 1930s after the loss of their farm.
• The art exhibit In the Eyes of the Hungry: Florida鈥檚 Changing Landscape will focus on demographic, geographic and ecological shifts in the country, with an emphasis on human relationships and the environment. The art explores ideas ranging from agriculture and industrialization to migration and tourism to ecology and conservation. The exhibit will be at Terrace Gallery in Orlando City Hall across the street from Dr. Phillips.
• Puddin鈥� and the Grumble, a play about how hunger affects a young girl, is suitable for viewers of all ages and will be in collaboration with the School of Performing Arts students and Second Harvest food bank, which will collect food for those in need.

Returning for the third year is a series of tableau vivant 鈥� or 鈥渓iving art鈥� 鈥� famous artworks recreated by 麻豆原创 art students who will wear costumes to model as people in the life-size paintings. This year there are 22 paintings from 1910-39, including Picasso, Dali, Hopper, Degas and others. The paintings will be on display evenings April 7-8.

In total there are more than two dozen festival performances, displays, workshops and lectures to be offered, including an opportunity for high school music and theater students to attend workshops led by 麻豆原创 faculty and then perform at the arts center.

This is part of a series of stories about the April 7-14 events at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 2017. All events are free, but tickets are required for all performances and entrance into the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando.听

Coming in from New York City, Peter Bernstein and his jazz trio open the festival on March 24.听Guitarist Bernstein has worked with jazz legends Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, Lou Donaldson and others.

Saturday evening鈥檚 concert features the Leroy Jones Quintet. Other featured groups include the 麻豆原创 Jazz Professors with Per Danielsson, Marty Morell, Bobby Koelble, Michael Wilkinson, Dan Miller, Jeff Rupert and Richard Drexler.听麻豆原创 artist-in-residence trumpeter Dan Miller will open for Jones.

The Flying Horse Big Band will kick off the high school component of the festival on Saturday morning with workshops.

High school jazz bands representing schools from both Florida coasts will be performing Saturday. Student jazz musicians from Melbourne, Viera, Gulf Coast, North Port, and Palm Beach Central High Schools will have the opportunity to share the stage with the guest artists. By joining the line up of prestigious jazz performers, the student musicians will gain lessons in showmanship and inspiration to pursue further music education and careers in jazz.

鈥淲e bring to 麻豆原创 only the best in jazz performance,鈥� said Jeff Rupert, director of jazz studies at 麻豆原创. 鈥淭he Peter Bernstein Trio will bring the best of New York jazz to Orlando, and we also have performing quintet leader, Leroy Jones, the ‘keeper of the flame’ for traditional New Orleans Jazz. We are happy to have the opportunity to feature them here at 麻豆原创 for their first Central Florida appearance!鈥�

The performances will be 8 p.m. in the Nicholson School of Communication Auditorium (Room 101). Tickets are $10, $5 for non麻豆原创 students, and 麻豆原创 students attend free with 麻豆原创 ID.

Sullivan is a multi-instrumentalist, playing trumpet, flugelhorn, peck horn, drums, flute, and tenor, alto and soprano saxophones. He also serves as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and tours universities and schools around the world as a clinician, lecturer and jazz-workshop adjudicator.

鈥淗is associations with the most important figures in jazz from the bebop and hard bop era are without compare,” Rupert said.

The Flying Horse Big Band performance will be 8 p.m. in the Nicholson School of Communication auditorium (Rm 101). Tickets are $10 ($5 for students) and 麻豆原创 students can attend for free.

When 麻豆原创 music professor Kelly Miller was alerted that Groban鈥檚 management was seeking a talented Central Florida music student who was also a skilled jazz player, she immediately recommended Lewis. He was subsequently engaged to perform three dates with Groban. The performances are Feb. 28 in Sarasota at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, March 1 in Clearwater at the Ruth Eckerd Hall, and March 2 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando.

Lewis says he is both excited and prepared for the performance.

鈥淚 think my preparation comes from a combination of intensive training on the instrument through lessons, my knowledge gained about improvisation and musical performance from my degree track, and my experience from multiple performances at 麻豆原创.鈥�

麻豆原创 audiences may recognize Lewis from his participation in the Flying Horse Big Band. He was accepted into the premier student jazz ensemble his freshman year and is now the longest standing member of the ensemble. He studies with 麻豆原创 music professor John Almeida.

Lewis will take the stage to join Groban as he sings 鈥淥ld Devil Moon鈥� from his latest CD 鈥淪tages.鈥� Lewis will be following in the footsteps of great jazz trumpet players Arturo Sandoval and Chris Botti, who have both recorded with Groban.

鈥淚 am looking forward to getting to network and work with more professional听musicians, and having the opportunity to share my sound with such听a large amount of people,鈥� said Lewis.

For more information about the 麻豆原创 School of Performing Arts, visit

Jeff Rupert, director of the Jazz Studies program at 麻豆原创, believes it is critical for students to be working side-by-side with active professional musicians.

鈥淲e are bringing in guest artists who have a strong presence in the professional world, so our students can communicate and interact with them,鈥� said Rupert. 鈥淭his fall we are collaborating on repertory works with in-demand artists Harry Allen and Chuck Redd, and learning and performing new works for jazz groups, like our suite for Miles Davis and James Brown at the Florida Music Educators convention in Tampa this January.鈥�

The fall jazz season kicked off Sept. 24 with a performance and master class by jazz vibraphonist Chuck Redd. Rupert said Redd was impressed with 麻豆原创鈥檚 students.

鈥淐huck Redd told me that this has got to be one of the top jazz programs in the country, and certainly the best small jazz program,鈥� Rupert said. 鈥淥ther jazz programs have several hundred students. We have forty. This is a big deal.鈥�

Alex Lewis, a trumpet player in his senior year, was conversely enthralled with Redd. 鈥淗is improvisation is beautiful. It was not only how he was playing, but how he was listening and reacting musically to whatever someone else did. That allowed the music to grow and develop.鈥�

Lewis has been a member of the Flying Horse Big Band since his first semester at 麻豆原创, in the fall of 2012. The Big Band is the premier student jazz ensemble on campus and students audition for a seat every semester. 鈥淭his band has been the defining point of my university career. It is the highest thing I could have hoped for.鈥�

The Flying Horse Big Band has a free concert in Winter Park at the Winter Park Autumn Art festival on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m.

The group will also be performing with tenor saxophonist Harry Allen on Friday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. in the Communications Building Auditorium on the 麻豆原创 campus. Tickets for 鈥淗arry Allen plays Harry Allen with the Flying Horse Big Band鈥� cost $10 and can be purchased in advance.

Allen has more than 30 recordings to his name and frequently tours the U.S., Europe, and Asia. His many accolades include the New York Nightlife Award for Outstanding Jazz Combo Performance and Gold Disk Awards for three of his CDs. He has performed and recorded with Rosemary Clooney, John Pizzarelli, Tony Bennett, James Taylor and Ray Brown, among many others.

Ryan Wasner, a junior jazz studies major focusing on jazz guitar, says that performing with guest artists such as Redd and Allen gives the students insight into the world of jazz. This semester, he is particularly excited to be on the stage with Allen.

鈥淲e are playing music that [Allen] wrote, specifically for this concert,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese guys have a lot of experience and insight. They鈥檝e experienced what we are trying to do. Most of the time, people in jazz are wanting to give back. It鈥檚 a social art; they want to be mentors to a younger generation.鈥�

The Flying Horse Big Band will give its final performance of the fall semester on Dec. 4 in the Nicholson School of Communication auditorium. In addition to the Flying Horse Big Band performances, jazz enthusiasts can attend free performances by student jazz combos and ensembles in the 麻豆原创 Rehearsal Hall at 8 p.m. Oct. 20 and 27, and Nov. 10, 17 and 24.

In addition, two of the university鈥檚 jazz ensembles, the Jazz Professors and The Flying Horse Big Band, are producing albums for 麻豆原创鈥檚 record label, Flying Horse Records. The record label has produced six albums and another is in the works. The most recent release by the Jazz Professors, En Plein Air, reached No. 29 on JazzWeek鈥檚 charts this summer and the Big Band鈥檚 recent release,听鈥淚nto the Mystic鈥� was listed as 鈥淐hartbound鈥� by JazzWeek this July.

Performances at a glance:

Flying Horse Big Band Concert

Sunday, October 11, 2015; 1:00 pm

The 麻豆原创 Flying Horse Big Band will perform at the band shell in Central Park, Winter Park, as part of the Winter Park Art Festival.

颁辞蝉迟:听Free and open to the public

Location: Central Park, Winter Park Band Shell

407-823-1500

听

Harry Allen Plays Harry Allen, with 麻豆原创鈥檚 Flying Horse Big Band

Flying Horse Big Band

Special Guest Harry Allen, tenor saxophone

Friday, October 16, 2015; 8:00 pm

颁辞蝉迟:听$10, $5 non-麻豆原创 students, free with 麻豆原创 ID
Location:听麻豆原创 Communications Bldg., Auditorium (101)

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816

407-823-1500

Jazz Chamber Group Concert Series: Concert I

Tuesday, October 20, 2015; 8:00 pm

Featuring performances by 麻豆原创 Student Jazz Combos

Cost: Free and open to the public

Location: 麻豆原创 Rehearsal Hall, Auditorium (116)

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816

407-823-1500

Jazz Chamber Group Concert Series: Concert II

Tuesday, October 27, 2015; 8:00 pm

Featuring performances by 麻豆原创 Student Jazz Combos.

Cost: Free and open to the public

Location: 麻豆原创 Rehearsal Hall, Auditorium (116)

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816

407-823-1500

Jazz Ensemble II Concert

Tuesday, November 10, 2015; 8:00 pm

The 麻豆原创 Jazz Ensemble II presents a concert under the direction of Michael Wilkinson.

Cost: Free and open to the public

Location:听麻豆原创 Rehearsal Hall, Auditorium (116)

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816

407-823-1500

Jazz Chamber Groups Concert Series: Concert III

Tuesday, November 17, 2015; 8:00 pm

Featuring performances by 麻豆原创 student Jazz Combos.

Cost: Free and open to the public

Location:听麻豆原创 Rehearsal Hall, Auditorium (116)

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816

407-823-1500

Jazz Chamber Groups Concert Series: Concert IV

Tuesday, November 24, 2015; 8:00 pm

Featuring performances by 麻豆原创 student Jazz Combos.

Cost: Free and open to the public

Location:听麻豆原创 Rehearsal Hall, Auditorium (116)

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816

407-823-1500

Flying Horse Big Band Concert

Friday, December 4, 2015; 8:00 pm

颁辞蝉迟:听$10, $5 non-麻豆原创 students, free with 麻豆原创 ID
Location:听麻豆原创 Communications Bldg., Auditorium (101)

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816

407-823-1500

听

鈥淭he celebration was designed to showcase the work of the 麻豆原创 and its partners 鈥� and, boy, did it,鈥� Orlando Sentinel arts writer Matt Palm said听in his review of the April 9-15 event. 鈥淐an’t wait for next year’s celebration.鈥�

More than 13,600 free, advance-ticket reservations were made to see the various performances, said Jeff Moore, director of the 麻豆原创 School of Performing Arts and artistic director of the festival, adding that the event exceeded his expectations. Ten of the events were 鈥渟old out.鈥�

The festival featured more than 1,000 麻豆原创 students and faculty members showcasing studio art, music, theatre, dance, gaming, animation, photography and film at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. All the presentations were put on by听the School of Performing Arts and the School of Visual Arts & Design, both in the College of Arts & Humanities. Some of the events included community arts partners and K-12 students.

鈥淲hen you do something the first time, it feels like you need time to ramp up. But this seemed to hit right out of the box,鈥� Moore said.

This was the first time all the university鈥檚 artistic presentations could be experienced in one place.

听鈥淭here was so much vibrancy,鈥� said Heather Gibson, marketing director for the 麻豆原创 Theatre Department. 鈥淲e in the arts have never felt this much hum going on.鈥�

She said the biggest audiences of the festival attended Icarus at the Edge of Time and Shakespeare Swings!, both of which had people waiting in line to grab any of the seats left open by no-shows in the 2,500-capacity theatre.

Icarus was a multimedia performance by the 麻豆原创 Symphony Orchestra based on a children鈥檚 book by Columbia University physicist Brian Greene and narrated by actress Kate Mulgrew from the Star Trek: Voyager TV series. Shakespeare Swings! featured 麻豆原创鈥檚 Flying Horse Big Band and the Orlando Shakespeare Theater Cabaret Singers.

Moore said he attended every event at the festival and noticed that instead of seeing the same people at each performance, there were different audiences.

鈥淚t was meeting everybody on their own turf,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his was a celebration of the arts, but the arts reach into so many other disciplines. When you walked into the center lobby you were immediately immersed in the arts 鈥� and science, mathematics, literature and computers coming together with art.鈥�

Moore advised marking calendars now for next year鈥檚 festival when 麻豆原创 has the arts center reserved April 4-17, 2016. Next year鈥檚 festival will run during two weekends and the days between, he said.

He hopes to involve more K-12 students through workshops and performance showcases next year, and create more collaborative partnerships with community arts groups.

鈥淭hose were so enjoyable for students and everyone who came,鈥� Moore said.