Faculty Recital Series – An Evening of Jazz: “100 Years of Vibraphone” featuring Brad Stirtz

Fine and Performing Arts Calendar of Events

Friday, March 27, 2026
7:30 p.m.
Madden Theatre
Pricing: $15

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“100 Years of Vibraphone” is a journey through the history of one of jazz’s most distinctive instruments. This concert traces the evolution of the vibraphone from its early roots in the 1920s swing era to the rich, modern sounds of today, featuring music made popular by legendary vibraphonists such as Milt Jackson, as well as more contemporary voices like Gary Burton. The program will also include original compositions by Brad Stirtz, offering a personal perspective on the instrument’s ongoing evolution and its place in today’s jazz landscape. He’ll be joined by Chris White (piano), Dan Anderson (bass), Juan Pastor (drum set), and Mitch Paliga (saxophone). Originally from Minden, Nebraska, Stirtz is a Chicago-based vibraphonist whose career has taken him around the globe with performances in Uganda, Trinidad, and throughout the U.S. He has performed with jazz artists Ed Thigpen, Patricia Barber, and Jerry Goodman, as well as contemporary artists Joe Walsh, Dennis DeYoung, and Charlie Pride. Stirtz has served on the faculties of the American Conservatory of Music, Roosevelt University, Benedictine University, Northern Illinois University, and North Central College and has been an instructor at Birch Creek Music Center for over 40 years. He is currently the full-time Director of Music at Peace Lutheran Church in Lombard, IL.