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Charlie Rivera Freshman Juilliard Recital (2026) - Event

Charlie Rivera’s freshman Juilliard recital was a five-piece jazz program performed in Morse Hall on April 28, 2026. The recital moved from ensemble standards and Charlie’s arrangement of “Afro Blue” into two original works before closing with “Cherokee.” Logan Weston traveled from Baltimore by train to attend.

Background

Charlie entered Juilliard’s Jazz Studies program in fall 2025. By spring, his recital ensemble included his roommate Jacob on piano, Riley on guitar, Peter on upright bass, Ezra on trumpet, and a guest drummer where the program required one. The set allowed Charlie to lead from both saxophone and drums.

Charlie’s health was unstable during the preparation period. He rehearsed through poor sleep, nausea, dizziness, and worsening fatigue, then completed the recital before crashing backstage.

Program

“Blue in Green”

Charlie opened on saxophone with Jacob on piano, Riley on guitar, Peter on bass, Ezra on trumpet, and a guest musician playing brushes. The restrained arrangement established breath, space, and ensemble listening before the more forceful pieces that followed.

“Afro Blue”

Charlie’s arrangement used the full combo and featured call-and-response between his saxophone and Ezra’s trumpet. The arrangement placed Charlie’s Afro-Caribbean rhythmic approach inside the standard without treating the performance as a copy of either Mongo Santamaría’s or John Coltrane’s version.

‘’Agua Dormida’‘

Main article: Agua Dormida - Composition

Charlie performed his original ballad on saxophone with sparse piano and upright-bass accompaniment from Jacob and Peter. The piece’s title meant “Sleeping Water.” Its open space and restrained scoring made it the program’s intimate center, but it was neither unaccompanied nor the closing work.

‘’Second Wind’‘

Main article: Second Wind - Composition

Charlie moved to drums for ‘’Second Wind’‘, an original rhythmic feature played by the full ensemble. The other musicians pulled back during a mid-piece drum solo before returning for the final section.

“Cherokee”

Charlie returned to saxophone and closed the recital with the full combo. The fast arrangement included an off-meter quotation from “Salt Peanuts” and ended sharply rather than fading.

Aftermath and Recording

The set ran approximately thirty-five to forty minutes. After the closer, Charlie was trembling, pale, dizzy, and nauseated. Riley steadied him as he came offstage, while Jacob and Logan recognized that the performance had exhausted the reserve he had been using to remain upright.

Charlie later chose the live Morse Hall recording of ‘’Agua Dormida’’ for ‘’Everything Loud and Tender’‘. The album track preserves the recital’s sparse piano and upright-bass accompaniment. “Cherokee” remained the recital’s closing work.

Events Performance Events 2026 Events Juilliard Charlie Rivera