Press Releases
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Music Forward Foundation musicians play their way to Pittsburgh Jazz Festival
PHILADELPHIA (September 25, 2024) — The August Wilson African American Cultural Center’s Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival (PIJF), co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, took place September 19 through 22. It offered again this year the unique experience of riding The Jazz Train™ from several major cities to the opening night of the Festival.
Amtrak riders enjoyed refreshments and live music, hosted by two-time Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Orrin Evans. This year, the pickup stop in Philadelphia was especially entertaining with the addition of alumni musicians from the Music Forward Foundation at The Met (MFF). Hadassah (Dasi) Weinmartin (bass), Dillon M. C. Dwyer (piano), Michael McGlaughlin (drums), and Joshua Dean Peeler (saxophone) boarded the train to join Evans and other festivalgoers.
“It was fantastic to bring these young musicians to the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival and showcase the next generation of talent," said Janis Burley, President and Director of the PIJF.
Burley greeted passengers boarding in New York and Ken Lawrence, senior vice president of corporate affairs for Highmark Blue Shield in southeastern PA, welcomed those departing from Philadelphia.
“Highmark companies have a longstanding history of supporting music, arts and culture in every region we serve. Bringing together our relationship with the Jazz Festival in Pittsburgh and with the Music Forward Foundation and The Met in Philadelphia is very exciting,” said Lawrence.
The MMF musicians were able to partake in all the festival activities and had a meetup with peer musicians from Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School. They even performed live on Saturday, preceding the headlining artists: Howie Alexander, Dan Wilson, Endea Owens, Shemekia Copeland, Cimafunk, and Robert Glasper.
“Watching these musicians light up the stage, reminds us that music truly is a universal language. We are proud to support events like these through our Highmark Bright Blue Futures program. They are a testament to the power of community and the resilience of our spirit. They enrich our souls and fuel our local economy." said Kenya T. Boswell, senior vice president of community affairs for Highmark Health, during her remarks that evening introducing Shemekia Copeland.
Highmark Bright Blue Futures is dedicated to improving equitable access to care, quality of life, and economic resilience. The organization is committed to supporting events like the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival and organizations like The August Wilson African American Cultural Center, that spotlight diverse perspectives, create valuable shared experiences, and cultivate joy for all.
"We are proud to partner with Highmark to bring young artists to the stage with such a unique experience like the Jazz Train and empower the next generation to shine on the stage,” said Nurit Smith, executive director of Music Forward Foundation.
About the Musicians
- Hadassah (Dasi) Weinmartin is an 18-year-old bassist from Philadelphia, currently studying at Barnard College of Columbia University.
- Dillon M. C. Dwyer is a pianist from Philadelphia, currently studying at Community College of Philadelphia.
- Michael McGlaughlin is a drummer, currently a freshman at Temple University.
- Joshua Dean Peeler is a jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger, currently attending Temple University.
Photo Credit: Torri Green Photography
Photo Caption: (left to right) Frank Machos, executive director for the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of the Arts & Creative Learning; Luke Carlos O’Reilly, award-winning pianist, composer, and educator, and School District of Philadelphia MIC’d Up program; and MFF musicians Michael McGlaughlin, Dasi Weinmartin, and Dillon Dwyer pose in front of the Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia before boarding the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival's Jazz Train (TM).
About Highmark Blue Shield
Highmark Inc., doing business as Highmark Blue Shield, protects Pennsylvania individuals and families with a range of high-quality, affordable and reliable health insurance solutions. As the only Blue Shield licensee in Pennsylvania, Highmark Blue Shield has a long and successful history of delivering remarkable experiences in Southeastern Pennsylvania through the Federal Employee Program. Highmark Blue Shield earned a Brand Excellence Award from the national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, in recognition of its efforts in building brand strength and providing superior customer service, solid financial performance and enrollment growth. Highmark is also annually recognized as a "Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality" from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, and a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" through the Disability Equality Index® a leading national benchmark established jointly by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN. Highmark Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. The Highmark Bright Blue Futures program is designed to ensure healthier, brighter, stronger futures for all, and it focuses on improving equitable access to care, quality of life, and economic resilience in the communities the enterprise serves: www.highmark.com/about/corporate-responsibility/bright-blue-futures.
About August Wilson African American Cultural Center
The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is a non-profit cultural organization located in Pittsburgh’s cultural district that generates artistic, educational, and community initiatives that advance the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. One of the largest cultural centers in the country focused exclusively on the African American experience and the celebration of Black culture and the African diaspora, the non-profit organization welcomes more than 119,000 visitors locally and nationally. Through year-round programming across multiple genres, such as the annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Black Bottom Film Festival, AWCommunity Days, TRUTHSayers speaker series, and rotating art exhibits in its galleries, the Center provides a platform for established and emerging artists of color whose work reflects the universal issues of identity that Wilson tackled, and which still resonate today.
About Music Forward Foundation
Music Forward Foundation is a national nonprofit in the Live Nation family that bridges opportunities for the music community to become more innovative and inclusive by kick-starting music and live entertainment careers for the next generation through workshops, panels, and performances that connect passions to professions. Focusing on young people aged 13-24 from under-represented communities, the organization provides access to an unsurpassed nationwide network of music and live entertainment industry insiders to redefine what is possible for tomorrow’s innovators and leaders. Over the past 30 years, Music Forward Foundation has successfully realized its mission to transform young lives, inspire careers, and champion a more inclusive music industry. To date, the organization has served over one million young people and provided more than $42 million in scholarships, workforce opportunities, relief funds, and more. Each year, the organization activates its significant network to impact more than 20,000 youth nationwide. Acclaimed artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Maxwell Frost, Trombone Shorty, and Andrae Alexander are past program participants and grant recipients, while performers such as Kahlid, Sofia Carson, Lauren Daigle, Martina McBride, Carlos Santana, and Julia Michaels have served as Ambassadors for Music Forward. https://musicforwardfoundation.org
For more information, contact
Denee Crumrine
Highmark Blue Shield
Denee.Crumrine@highmarkhealth.org
