Visiting Fulbright Scholar to lead program Tuesday at North Idaho College
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 1 day, 2 hours AGO
A public lecture and concert Tuesday at North Idaho College will highlight Freedom250 and the legacy of Coeur d’Alene Tribal Member and “Queen of Swing” Mildred Bailey, with Visiting Fulbright Scholar Robert Cozma, a Romanian composer and trombonist (pictured).
Courtesy photo
The legacy of Coeur d’Alene Tribal Member and “Queen of Swing” Mildred Bailey will be honored Tuesday during a concert at North Idaho College. Bailey grew up on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in the early 1900s. She recorded three No. 1 hits and was later inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
A public lecture and concert Tuesday at North Idaho College will highlight Freedom250 and the legacy of Coeur d’Alene Tribal Member and “Queen of Swing” Mildred Bailey, with Visiting Fulbright Scholar Robert Cozma leading the program.
The event will take place in Boswell Hall on NIC’s Coeur d’Alene campus. It is free and open to the public.
The lecture will begin at 10 a.m. in Room 102. A concert featuring Cozma on trombone performing with NIC Music Department faculty will be at noon in the Boswell Hall lobby.
The lecture will be co-presented with Gary Edwards and will explore the global evolution of jazz and connections between Romania, the United States and the Inland Northwest, while highlighting Bailey’s lasting influence on early American jazz.
“This program really centers on jazz as a global language,” NIC communication professor and Fulbright liaison Faith Valente said in a Wednesday news release. “It connects international perspectives with our region’s history, including the important contributions of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.”
Bailey, who grew up on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in the early 1900s, recorded three No. 1 hits and was later inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
Cozma, a Romanian composer and trombonist and Visiting Fulbright Scholar at Indiana University Bloomington, will lead a series of programs exploring jazz as a global art form. As part of his residency, he will also host a trombone clinic, music theory sessions and workshops with high school and collegiate musicians.
“The residency gives students and the community a chance to work directly with an internationally recognized Fulbright scholar,” Valente said. “It’s about creating meaningful opportunities for learning, collaboration and cultural exchange.”
The visit is primarily supported by the Fulbright Program’s Outreach Lecturing Fund and is part of the Freedom250 initiative, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States through programs that highlight shared history and cultural connections.
“Through this event, we’re not only exploring jazz history, but also recognizing the cultural legacy of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and its place in the broader American story,” Valente said.
The Fulbright Program, established in 1946, supports international educational exchange to promote mutual understanding through research, teaching and collaboration.
Contact Valente at 208-769-5972 or [email protected] for details.
The legacy of Coeur d’Alene Tribal Member and “Queen of Swing” Mildred Bailey will be honored Tuesday during a concert at North Idaho College. Bailey grew up on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in the early 1900s. She recorded three No. 1 hits and was later inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.