"Make Unto the Lord a Jazzful Noise"
Fourth-Year Recital and Independent Study Presentation by Jack Ireland
Monday, April 27 at 6:00 PM
Christ Episcopal Church, Charlottesville, VA
Charlottesville, VA — The University of Virginia Department of Music is pleased to present the fourth-year recital and independent study project of Jack Ireland on Monday, April 27 at 6:00 PM at Christ Episcopal Church. This event is free and open to the public.
This special performance will feature six original jazz arrangements of traditional church hymns chosen by Ireland from the Episcopal Hymnal 1982. Blending the rich harmonic language and improvisational spirit of jazz with the familiarity and reverence of hymn traditions, the program offers a fresh and personal reinterpretation of sacred music. The arrangements will be performed by a six-piece ensemble including Mike Clem on bass, Johnny Downey ’28 on drums, Bobby Downey ’26 on saxophone, Miriam Tyson on vocals, Paul Zach on guitar, and Jack Ireland on piano/vocals. The project is supervised by Nicole Mitchell Gantt.
Jack Ireland, a fourth-year student from Richmond, Virginia, is a composer, arranger, producer, instrumentalist, and actor pursuing a major in Music and Drama, with minors in Leadership and Religious Studies. In his musical life, he began arranging, remixing, and producing video game music in 2018 under the alias “Snivys,” and has since created and released over 170 tracks on his YouTube channel. His work has also reached streaming platforms through six albums and a handful of singles, collectively amassing more than 3 million streams on Spotify.
In addition to his musical pursuits, Ireland has been an active contributor to the University of Virginia Music Department, volunteering and working to support student engagement initiatives. He has organized and directed summer orientation programming that encourages students from all schools and majors to explore music classes, private lessons, and ensemble opportunities.
Ireland is also an active performer in theater and student arts at UVA. His stage credits include roles such as Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly! and Edward Bloom in Big Fish with First Year Players, the Duke of Cornwall in King Lear and Paris in Romeo and Juliet with Shakespeare on the Lawn, and several University of Virginia Drama Department productions, including David Caxton in the fall production of Continuity. His artistic work at UVA extends to composing for short films, performing original music at acoustic showcases, improvisational comedy with the Whethermen, stand-up comedy, and playing with the worship music team at Christ Episcopal Church.
The Co-President of the Miller Arts Scholars program, Ireland embraces interdisciplinary collaboration and creative exploration across mediums. His recital represents both a culmination of his undergraduate studies and a reflection of his wide-ranging artistic interests, as well as a personal reflection on his time at UVA through the lens of music, faith, performance, and leadership.
Christ Episcopal Church is located at 120 W High St, Charlottesville, VA 22902 in downtown Charlottesville, just off the Downtown Mall. Limited street parking is available nearby, with additional public garages within walking distance. The church is approximately three blocks from a Charlottesville bus stop served by the free trolley connecting the University of Virginia and downtown.
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All events are subject to change.