Festival Program

 

Saturday Aug 9

9:00am - 10:00am

Symmetry and the City:

A Walk with Chaim Goodman-Strauss

Join mathematician and storyteller Chaim Goodman-Strauss for a unique walking tour that finds rhythm in stone and harmony in design.  Explore the decorative language of 19th-century architecture – from tiled façades to carved windowsills – and check out how patterns and symmetry can echo the structures of music itself. Part visual puzzle, part historical deep dive, this tour invites you to experience the city as a quiet symphony of shapes and forms.

Registration link: momath.org/walkingtours

Meet at Additions, the shop at the National Museum of Mathematics (225 Fifth Avenue), no later than 8:50 am for check-in. Tours will begin promptly at 9:00 am.

9:00am - 10:00am

Tin Pan Alley and Beyond:

A Musical History Walk with Tim Nissen

This walking tour explores more than just Tin Pan Alley — it traces a path through Manhattan’s rich architectural landscape, uncovering the deep connections between music and the built environment. Guided by MoMath’s renowned exhibit designer and Associate Director Tim Nissen, the route includes a range of historical styles from Beaux Arts to Art Deco to International Style, with reflections on how these aesthetics resonate with musical forms like jazz and classical. Inspired by Goethe’s observation that “architecture is frozen music,” this tour invites participants to consider the rhythm, harmony, and mood of New York City itself.

Registration link: momath.org/walkingtours

Meet at Additions, the shop at the National Museum of Mathematics (225 Fifth Avenue), no later than 8:50 am for check-in. Tours will begin promptly at 9:00 am.

10:30am

The KongoNola Project

Presented by Goussy Célestin’s Ayiti Brass

This interactive three-part experience, led by Goussy Célestin and her 8-piece AyitiBrass ensemble, invites families into a celebration of jazz, rhythm, and Haitian tradition. Blending classic jazz standards with original compositions, the performance highlights the musical ties between New Orleans Second Line and Haitian Rara, brought to life with horns, traditional Haitian wind instruments, and call-and-response grooves. A lively dance segment follows, with professional dancers leading simple, fun movements for all ages. The experience wraps with a hands-on workshop where kids create their own instruments from recycled materials and small percussion instruments, then join the band in a group jam session that captures the creative, participatory spirit of jazz.

About Goussy Célestin’s Ayiti Brass

1:00pm - 2:15pm

Dabin Ryu Trio

featuring Joe Martin + Johnathan Blake

Main Stage Performance

About Dabin Ryu

2:15pm -3:00pm

Asase Yaa

“Rhythmic Roots”

Asase Yaa’s “Rhythmic Roots” weaves a sonic thread from traditional West African drumming to American tap, mapping a musical heritage that’s traveled across generations and continents.

About Asase Yaa

3:00pm - 4:15pm

Michael Mayo

Main Stage Performance

About Michael Mayo

4:15pm - 5:00pm

Asase Yaa’s “Hear My Voice”

Asase Yaa’s “Hear My Voice”

Asase Yaa’s “Hear My Voice” is a fusion of West African oral storytelling and the deep soul of gospel. The performance journeys through spirituals and field songs, all led by a Djeli, a traditional West African storyteller-historian-musician. When slaves were stripped of their drums, their voices carried the rhythm. Songs became the vessels for truth, pain, and hope. The set culminates in contemporary gospel music, actively engaging the audience through lively call-and-response interactions.

About Asase Yaa

5:00pm - 6:15pm

Roy Hargrove Big Band

Main Stage Performance

About the Roy Hargrove Big Band

6:15pm - 7:00pm

Asase Yaa’s “Afro House Celebration”

Asase Yaa’s “Afro House Celebration”

Asase Yaa’s “Afro House Celebration” turns the entire experience into a joyful eruption. With pulsing percussion and high-octane dance, the audience becomes part of the show. In this shared experience, Asase Yaa brings the rhythm and the audience brings it to life. It climaxes with an inclusive dance circle, fostering community and celebration through communal movement and music.

About Asase Yaa

7:00pm - 8:15pm

Lizz Wright

Main Stage Performance

About Lizz Wright

 

Sunday Aug 10

9:00am - 10:00am

Symmetry and the City:

A Walk with Chaim Goodman-Strauss

Join mathematician and storyteller Chaim Goodman-Strauss for a unique walking tour that finds rhythm in stone and harmony in design.  Explore the decorative language of 19th-century architecture – from tiled façades to carved windowsills – and check out how patterns and symmetry can echo the structures of music itself. Part visual puzzle, part historical deep dive, this tour invites you to experience the city as a quiet symphony of shapes and forms.

Registration link: momath.org/walkingtours

Meet at Additions, the shop at the National Museum of Mathematics (225 Fifth Avenue), no later than 8:50 am for check-in. Tours will begin promptly at 9:00 am.

9:00pm - 10:00pm

Tin Pan Alley and Beyond:

A Musical History Walk with Tim Nissen

This walking tour explores more than just Tin Pan Alley — it traces a path through Manhattan’s rich architectural landscape, uncovering the deep connections between music and the built environment. Guided by MoMath’s renowned exhibit designer and Associate Director Tim Nissen, the route includes a range of historical styles from Beaux Arts to Art Deco to International Style, with reflections on how these aesthetics resonate with musical forms like jazz and classical. Inspired by Goethe’s observation that “architecture is frozen music,” this tour invites participants to consider the rhythm, harmony, and mood of New York City itself.

Registration link: momath.org/walkingtours

Meet at Additions, the shop at the National Museum of Mathematics (225 Fifth Avenue), no later than 8:50 am for check-in. Tours will begin promptly at 9:00 am.

10:30am - 11:30am

Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

ABCirque

ABCirque, New York City’s premier contemporary circus company, joins GRAMMY® Award-winner Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats for a mash-up of jazz and jaw-dropping acrobatics.

About ABCirque

1:00pm - 2:15pm

Caracas Trio

with Melissa Almaguer
3:00pm - 4:15pm

Arta Jēkabsone

Searching for a Song

Main Stage Performance

About Arta Jēkabsone

5:00pm - 6:15pm

The Brandee Younger Trio

Main Stage Performance

About Brandee Younger

7:00pm - 8:15pm

Ravi Coltrane

Translinear Light: The Music of Alice Coltrane

Main Stage Performance

About Ravi Coltrane

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