Loyola student musicians are gearing up for French Quarter Fest this weekend. For the second year, the music department will sponsor the Esplanade in the Shade Stage at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
Loyola musicians will perform four sets from April 12-14:
– Friday, April 12, from 12:20-1:35 p.m. – Loyola Alternative Set, with The Kissing Disease; D.P.M Javi, featuring Ben Delgado; and Planet of Little Green Men
– Saturday, April 13, from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. – Loyola University Contemporary Ensembles
– Saturday, April 13, from 12:35 to 1:55 p.m. – Jazz/R&B Set, with Read the Room featuring Rene, Aaniyah and Noa Jamir
– Sunday, April 14, from 12:20 to 1:35 p.m. – Loyola Hip Hop Set, with Dami, Abstract and flow mvnny; and DJs Sleepyhead and Deven
“It feels really awesome. It’s super exciting. I gotta say thank you to our school, Loyola, because they’re really helping us set this thing up,” Dylan Bretschnieder, The Kissing Disease drummer told 4WWL live on April 11.
The festival also hires Loyola students to work behind the scenes at the festival, according to music industry professor Johnathan McHugh.
“To be able to offer these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to our students is what our Loyola program is all about,” McHugh said. “As New Orleans is truly the live music center of the universe, our goal is to make sure students have the chance to perform on as many stages as possible and learn what it takes to put on a festival of this caliber.”
McHugh and Kate Duncan, the director of the music and theater school, worked with Emily Madero, president and CEO of the festival, to create the partnership between Loyola and the festival.
“We’re proud of our partnership with Loyola and excited to see this high-impact collaboration expand to feature world-class Loyola talent – both performing on a major festival stage and joining our crew behind the scenes to produce and promote French Quarter Festival 2024,” Madero said.
Duncan said opportunities like these offer student real world experience in their industry.
“Students are truly seeing all of the facets and skill sets that need to come together in order to build a life around their creative ideas,” Duncan said.
