Drummer Marion Felder to perform Oct. 25 with University Jazz Band

The University of Scranton Jazz Band will take the stage Saturday, Oct. 25, with acclaimed drummer Marion Felder joining them as the evening’s guest soloist. Presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Felder will also offer a free drumset masterclass at 4:30 p.m. for drummers ranging from 16-year-old students to adult teachers and professionals. (Student musicians under age 16 are welcome to attend accompanied by a parent, guardian, or music teacher.)

At the concert, the University’s student jazz ensemble will perform a variety of works that prominently feature Felder on drums.

"The program will feature music representing works in a variety of styles to showcase the versatility of our guest artists and broaden the experience of our student musicians," said performance music conductor and co-director Janelle Decker.

Performance music conductor and director Cheryl Y. Boga first met Felder when he came to New York City as a member of one of the earliest classes of The Juilliard School’s Jazz Studies program.

"Not only is Marion's mastery of 'driving' a big band with astounding time and musicality always evident," Boga said, "but he does it while keeping his entire focus on supporting the ensemble."

Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, Felder brings a dynamic blend of tradition, versatility and world-class training to the stage. Currently touring and recording with Michael Bublé, Felder has served as the drummer with the Wycliffe Gordon Quintet, the Count Basie Orchestra and The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and has performed with a wide range of acclaimed artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Victor Goines, Carmen Bradford, Delfeayo Marsalis, Paul Simon, Van Morrison and Hank Jones, among many others. Felder earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at The Juilliard School on a full scholarship.

The University of Scranton Jazz Band is a 25-member ensemble of big band style instrumentation, made up of University of Scranton student musicians from majors spanning the curriculum. They perform five or more times per year. The majority of their performances are open to the public, free of admission charge, and often feature a nationally or internationally renowned guest soloist.

For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music.

If You Go:

What: IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton Jazz Band with guest soloist Marion Felder, drums, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton
When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton
Admission: Free
Masterclass: Same day, same place, 4:30 p.m., also free