The Music Institute of Chicago is pleased to announce the appointment of vocalist Tammy McCann as Artist in Residence. McCann will perform and present master classes at the Music Institute, as well as represent the institution and its mission to the wider community. 

Music Institute President and CEO Mark George said, “Tammy is a superb artist whose stylistic breadth spans jazz, pop, cabaret and gospel music. This appointment symbolizes the institution’s embrace of a range of music, beyond its historical focus on classical music. Tammy is an extraordinary performer who will be a tremendous asset to our many students and patrons.” 

McCann’s first public appearance as Artist in Residence will occur Sunday, October 28 during the Music Institute’s Billy Strayhorn Festival, which honors the work and legacy of one of the great jazz composers and collaborators, presented in partnership with Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc. The Festival includes two star-studded concerts, also featuring trumpet great Terell Stafford, and a screening of the award-winning film Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life followed by a panel discussion. All events take place at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston. 

Tammy McCann

Tammy McCann is an internationally recognized jazz vocalist whose powerful, sultry and soulful voice paints pictures and tells stories by merging classical vocal technique and gospel aesthetic with jazz to create a sound that is completely her own.  As jazz critic Stanley Crouch said, “Her pitch is superb…clear on the top and startling at the bottom, while all of the steps in between are polished with swing...” McCann’s latest vocal endeavor explores new approaches to standards while remaining traditionally creative. She takes the listener on a sentimental journey on the title track “Never Let Me Go,” then effortlessly changes gears with the rousing anthem of emotional empowerment “Blue Woman.” McCann has performed with such luminaries as Ramsey Lewis and Les McCann and toured as a “Raelette” with the great Ray Charles, with sold-out shows in some of the top jazz venues in America, including Birdland, The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola and the Jazz Showcase. According to Chicago Tribune arts critic Howard Reich, McCann has “a voice that soars in all registers, at all tempos, on all occasions…a voice that inspires wonder!” 

Music Institute of Chicago

The Music Institute of Chicago believes that music has the power to sustain and nourish the human spirit; therefore, our mission is to provide the foundation for lifelong engagement with music. As one of the three largest and most respected community music schools in the nation, the Music Institute offers musical excellence built on the strength of its distinguished faculty, commitment to quality, and breadth of programs and services. Founded in 1931 and one of the oldest community music schools in Illinois, the Music Institute is a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Each year, the Music Institute’s world-class music teachers and arts therapists provide the highest quality arts education, reaching more than 10,000 students of all ability levels, from birth to 102 years of age, at campuses in Evanston, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Winnetka, and Downers Grove and through its longstanding partnership with the Chicago Public Schools. The Music Institute also offers lessons and programs at the Steinway of Chicago store in Northbrook and early childhood and community engagement programs throughout the Chicago area and the North Shore. The Music Institute offers lessons, classes, and programs through four distinct areas: Community School, The Academy, Creative Arts Therapy (Institute for Therapy through the Arts), and Nichols Concert Hall.