Troy Roberts
The University of Central Arkansas will proudly host saxophonist Troy Roberts on April 15-20.
Roberts will be in concert on Friday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts. The event is open to the public and free with the donation of nonperishable food items to be donated to the UCA Food Pantry.
Roberts is a two-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist. As a go-to first-call musician, his name adorns several essential recordings—those by Joey DeFrancesco, Van Morrison, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Orrin Evans Captain Black Big Band, Kurt Elling, Veronica Swift, and numerous other jazz veterans and newcomers considered tastemakers of their generation.
Roberts—an Australian-born, now longtime New York resident—is also a prolific leader with 15 releases to his name, including NU-JIVE: LIVE at the Perth International Jazz Festival.
“Troy Roberts is at the center of the most exciting projects happening in jazz today,” said faculty sponsor Matt Taylor. “He’s a star in every sense of the word. The way he mixes styles of music into jazz, his soulful, blues-tinged improvisation, and no-holds-barred, room-filling sound will inspire all of us for a long time.
“And I am particularly proud that his appearance will also serve as an opportunity to give back to the UCA community, with his concert appearance being free to the public with the donation of nonperishable food items for the UCA Food Pantry. I’m so grateful to the department, college, SGA and the Arkansas Jazz Educators Association for the support bringing such a world-class artist to our community!”
Roberts’s residency includes these events:
- April 15: Master Class with UCA Jazz Combo — 2:40-3:55 p.m., Adcock Seminar Room, Snow Fine Arts
- April 16: Master Class with UCA Students — 11-11:50 a.m., Recital Hall, Snow Fine Arts
- April 17: Keystone Conversation with Troy Roberts and Matt Taylor (chat on creativity and solo performance) — 1:40-2:30 p.m., Keystone Steps, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts
This residency is sponsored by the UCA College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Studies.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024-25, the UCA Artists in Residence program is funded by UCA arts fees with additional support from Engage Management and Pyramid Art, Books, and Custom Framing. These events are free to UCA students and open to the public. No tickets are required. Events are located on the UCA campus, 201 Donaghey Ave, Conway, AR 72035. For more information about the UCA Artist in Residence program, visit https://uca.edu/cahss/artists-in-residence/ or contact Gayle Seymour, associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at (501) 450-3293; gayles@uca.edu.
