Indiana Jazz Exchange 2026

In the organizer's words:

We cordially invite you to join us for our annual Indiana Jazz Exchange concert.

In 2026, the Indiana Jazz Exchange returns to Cologne for its fourteenth edition, celebrating the legendary vocal group Four Freshmen, founded in 1948 at Butler University in Indianapolis. Curated by pianist Monika Herzig, this year's program reimagines original arrangements from the group's repertoire - whose song "Graduation Day" was famously covered by The Beach Boys - and highlights their iconic blend of vocal harmony and instrumental artistry. Featured guests include award-winning vocalist Emma Hedrick and internationally acclaimed violinist Cathy Morris, both from the vibrant jazz scene of Indiana. Bringing together musicians from Indianapolis and Cologne, the project continues its tradition of fostering transatlantic exchange while connecting jazz history with contemporary perspectives.

Emma Hedrick is an award-winning jazz vocalist, composer, and bandleader from Indianapolis, Indiana. Recognized with numerous honors, including multiple DownBeat Student Music Awards and distinctions from the International Songwriting Competition, she has also been a finalist in the Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition and a National YoungArts Winner. She has performed widely across the United States and Europe, including appearances at the Indy Jazz Fest, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Telluride Jazz Festival, and with the Jong Metropole tour. Hedrick holds degrees from the Frost School of Music and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She currently holds a faculty appointment at Syracuse University and recently released her debut album "Newcomer".

Cathy Morris is an electric violinist, vocalist, composer, and educator who has been a dynamic force in the Midwest arts scene for over two decades. Known for her high-energy performances, she has appeared on festival stages, televised events, and major ceremonies, sharing the bill with artists such as Al Jarreau, Burt Bacharach, George Benson, and Fourplay. As a soloist, she performs original works with orchestras and jazz ensembles, and her discography includes five albums of original music, including "Cathy Morris Latin Jazz", "A Cathy Morris Christmas", and "Sacred Romance". Her compositions are published by FJH Music and span over 100 works for string ensembles and solo performances. A passionate educator, Cathy regularly collaborates with students in workshops and concerts, and[nbsp]she is also the founder of "Arts With A Purpose", a project dedicated to connecting communities through the power of music and positive social impact.

Monika Herzig is a jazz pianist and band leader whose touring groups have been featured around the world at the Detroit Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival, Jazzmandu Festival, Canaris Jazz, Birdland Jazzclub, Porgy & Bess, and have opened for Tower of Power, Sting, Santana, Yes and others. She received her Doctorate from Indiana University, where she was a long-time faculty member. Her newest project, "Transparent", is a Jazz Road Creative Residency project and she currently holds a position as Professor of Artistic Research at the Jam Music Lab University in Vienna while maintaining her home in Indiana.

Peter Kienle grew up in Germany and attended the Jazz School in Munich. After emigrating to the USA in 1988, he established himself as a versatile guitarist and bassist in the studio and with various formations. Together with his wife Monika Herzig, he led the popular fusion group BeebleBrox. More than 1200 original compositions for classical guitar and his various groups Kwzjibo, Splinter Group, Nutpicker, and The Time Flies are published in the Level3Publishing catalog.

André Nendza is one of the most distinguished musicians in the German jazz scene, known both for his own projects and as a sought-after sideman. In 2009, the duo Angelika Niescier and André Nendza qualified for the final of the New German Jazz Award. In 2012, Nendza received the ECHOJAZZ in the category "Bass, national" for his album "Rooms restored" and in 2014, he won the final of the New German Jazz Award with "Tria Lingvo". Nendza's bass playing has been documented on over 80 recordings (14 of them under his own name). He has his own label "Jazzsick records" with Philipp van Endert.

Alexander Parzhuber is a Cologne-based drummer, composer, producer, and educator. He completed his studies in jazz drums at the Cologne University of Music and Dance and was a member of the German National Youth Jazz Orchestra, performing internationally with leading artists. As a DAAD scholar, he furthered his studies in Paris and has since collaborated with distinguished figures and ensembles in the international jazz scene, including Nathan East, Randy Brecker, the WDR Big Band, and the Subway Jazz Orchestra. In addition to his performance work, he is active as a producer and engineer, runs his own recording studio, and teaches jazz drums at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich.

Seats are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. We kindly ask you to only reserve the number of tickets that you will definitely use. Please note that the Altes Pfandhaus has both seating and standing capacity and that we can guarantee seats only for our members and for guests with disabilities.

Admittance will start at 6:00 PM. You do not need to print out your Eventbrite ticket. The name under which you reserved your tickets will suffice to enter.

The venue is wheelchair accessible.

We cordially thank the Freundeskreis Köln-Indianapolis e.V. for their cooperation and the City of Cologne as well as the State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia for generously supporting this event.