The Denbo Center for Humanities & the Arts' Distinguished Lecture Series presents author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle. Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle is an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and lives in Cherokee, North Carolina. A graduate of Yale University and the College of William & Mary, Clapsaddle is the author of Even As We Breathe (UPK, 2020), the first novel published by an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. The novel was a finalist for the Weatherford Award, winner of the 2021 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award, and named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2020. This talk is part of the 2026-2027 Distinguished Lecture Series presented by the Denbo Center for Humanities & the Arts and in connection with the DCHA annual theme, "Authenticity: Identity & Place." The event will be held in person at the Student Union, with streaming also available.

Can’t attend in person? Click here to watch virtually via our livestream.

A native of Elgin, Illinois, Mike Anderson is a professional musician and educator in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike currently serves as Principal Tuba for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet, the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared with the Illinois Brass Band, Lexington Brass Band, Blue Lake Festival Band, Varna International Muzika! Festival Orchestra, and Tallahassee Community Chorus Orchestra. Mike has also garnered success in multiple competitions, including winning the 2023 International Tuba and Euphonium Conference Mock Band Competition.In addition to his orchestral work, Mike is an adjunct instructor of tuba at Tennessee Tech University. Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a master's degree in performance from Florida State University. His primary teachers included Dr. Matthew Hightower, Daniel Perantoni, and Scott Tegge. Can’t attend in person? Click here to watch virtually via our livestream.

Can’t attend in person? Click here to watch virtually via our livestream.

Note: This event will not be livestreamed.

The University of Tennessee Rocky Top Jazz Summit is an exciting one-day jazz intensive for high school students hosted by the UT jazz faculty at the beautiful Natalie L. Haslam College of Music on April 3, 2027. You’ll learn the basics of jazz improvisation, get helpful insight into playing your specific instrument in masterclasses, and jam with other students from around the region. You’ll also be placed into a small group of similarly-skilled students, in which you will be coached by a professional jazz musician. The Rocky Top Jazz Summit is your opportunity to meet new people who share your love for jazz, interact with and learn from the expert musicians and educators who make up the University of Tennessee jazz faculty, and grow your musical skills in a fun, welcoming, and nurturing environment.The Rocky Top Jazz Summit is a special workshop that is open to all high-school students through nomination by their band director, lessons instructor, or jazz band leader. To nominate a student, visit this page: Note: This event will not be livestreamed.

Can’t attend in person? Click here to watch virtually via our livestream.

The University of Tennessee Rocky Top Jazz Summit is an exciting one-day jazz intensive for high school students hosted by the UT jazz faculty at the beautiful Natalie L. Haslam College of Music on April 3, 2027. You’ll learn the basics of jazz improvisation, get helpful insight into playing your specific instrument in masterclasses, and jam with other students from around the region. You’ll also be placed into a small group of similarly-skilled students, in which you will be coached by a professional jazz musician. The Rocky Top Jazz Summit is your opportunity to meet new people who share your love for jazz, interact with and learn from the expert musicians and educators who make up the University of Tennessee jazz faculty, and grow your musical skills in a fun, welcoming, and nurturing environment.The Rocky Top Jazz Summit is a special workshop that is open to all high-school students through nomination by their band director, lessons instructor, or jazz band leader. To nominate a student, visit this page: Note: This event will not be livestreamed.