Join us Friday, June 27th for a special concert with award-winning pianist, composer, band director, and music instructor, Julia Buckingham!
Enjoy an exciting and intimate evening of world class jazz with the Julia Buckingham Group!
Pianist Julia Buckingham McCorvy has performed a wide variety of styles on concert series and festival programs across the United States. A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, she has been regarded as a music prodigy since her first instructor recognized her talents at the age of four.
Mrs. Buckingham began making professional appearances at the age of eight. At age ten, she received a coveted invitation to perform on an instrumental recital in New York City. By eleven, she began accompanying the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Vesper Choir’s yearly performances of G.F. Handel’s Messiah. She presented her first solo recital at age twelve and showcased her talent on several local television programs throughout her teenage years. At seventeen, Mrs. Buckingham was selected to attend the Arkansas Governor’s School where she became the first Governor’s School student to perform the piano solo to George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The following year, she was the featured soloist for the Arkansas Youth Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Beethoven’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 37, No. 3.
Among her accomplishments, Mrs. Buckingham is the recipient of numerous music awards including the Art Porter Scholarship, the Bing Cunningham Award, the William Gant Award, and a Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society Scholarship. Just before starting college, she won a nationwide talent search and was asked to perform at the 44th annual National Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. She earned top honors in the University of Arkansas’ concerto/aria competition, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466. Mrs. Buckingham was also invited to participate in two of the University of Arkansas’ music department’s honor recitals, “The Best of the Best.” She also composed and performed a jazz selection at a Northwest Arkansas Student Composer’s Showcase upon completion of the B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
In 2012, Mrs. Buckingham formed her own jazz band, the Julia Buckingham Group, which had the distinct honor of opening for the legendary band, Pieces of a Dream, in August 2013, and the Yellowjackets, in 2014. In 2015, she was invited to perform on a symposium and subsequent documentary showcasing the life and works of African American classical composer, Florence B. Price. She was the first to perform a suite of pieces that were recently discovered at the late composer’s home in Chicago. From 2015 to 2018, Mrs. Buckingham performed solo and with showbands and orchestras on luxury cruise ships. Notably, she achieved the designation of bandmaster aboard the Norwegian Epic in 2017.
Mrs. Buckingham later earned her M.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. She was the Music Director for two plays at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in 2021 – Marie and Rosetta and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Both were hugely popular and showcased Mrs. Buckingham’s versatility as she performed a myriad of genres. She performed with the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra in February 2022. Before joining the UCA faculty, she taught at the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Apart from the myriad of awards and honors that have been earned and bestowed upon her, Mrs. Buckingham feels most honored to be able to pass on her love for music and performance to children and young adults. She sincerely hopes to impress upon young minds the importance and beauty of music. She currently teaches jazz history, improvisation, jazz piano, jazz ensembles, and serves as a collaborative pianist at UCA.
Important Information:
Doors open at 6:00pm, and the concert will begin promptly at 7:00pm. As our events are general admission seating, please be sure to arrive early to secure your seat. Beer, wine, and concessions will be available.
Free Parking: We’re pleased to offer complimentary parking for all attendees. Simply bring your parking ticket from the library parking lot (across from the Main Library on Rock Street) or the parking deck (next to the Main Library on Rock Street) inside the theater, and our friendly box office staff will validate it for you. Validations are for paid ticket holders only.
