School of American Music

09/12/2026

NEW! Saturday at Jazz Fest - Three Shows to Choose From. One $35 Ticket.

We heard you! We know everyone’s Saturday looks a little different, and not everyone can make all three shows that day, so we’re making it easier than ever to experience Jazz Fest!

You can now choose the show(s) you want to attend for just $35 at The Vickers Theatre on Saturday, September 19! Choose one, two, or all three!

🎶 1:00 PM — Merrimans’ Playhouse Players Open Mic Showcase
🎤 6:00 PM — Patti Shaffner with Leandro Lopez Varady + Buddy Pearson
🎷 8:00 PM — Sam Burckhardt with Jeremy Kahn + Jake Vinsel

Come for the afternoon. Join us for the evening. Or make a day of it and experience all three!

Three performances to choose from...Just $35.

And every ticket supports the School of American Music, helping provide student scholarships and free music programming throughout our community.

Come out and enjoy The Vickers and three incredible jazz performances!

🎟️ Get your Saturday ticket today! https://acornlive.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/ #/instances/a0FPd00000mFVmDMAW

09/11/2026

09/10/2026

Saturday Night in Three Oaks = LIVE JAZZ!

Make a night of it at Jazz Fest 2026: The Art of the Song on Saturday, September 19, at The Vickers Theatre!

At 6:00 PM, the fabulous takes the stage with Leandro Lopez Varady and Buddy Pearson for an evening of great songs, terrific musicianship, and the kind of live performance that makes an intimate venue like The Vickers so special.

And don’t go anywhere when the final note is played—because at 8:00 PM, Sam Burckhardt takes the stage with Jeremy Kahn and Jake Vinsel!

Two performances. One great Saturday night. Right here in Three Oaks.

Come early, grab dinner or a drink downtown, enjoy Patti at 6, stay for Sam at 8, and help us fill The Vickers with people who love live music!

Most importantly, when you come to Jazz Fest, you’re doing more than enjoying a great night out. You’re supporting these incredible artists AND the School of American Music. Proceeds from Jazz Fest help fund SAM scholarships and the free music programs we bring to our community throughout the year.

Great music deserves a great audience. Let’s show these musicians what Three Oaks can do!

🎟️ Tickets are still available - and your Saturday ticket gets you into all three Saturday Jazz Fest performances!

09/10/2026

🌟 Jazz Fest Sponsor Spotlight: Our Community Sponsors

Jazz Fest doesn't happen without the generosity of our community.

Today, we want to recognize Mike + Cheryl Ahlert, Margaret + Kevin Coleman, Dennis A. Smith, and the Klynstra Giving Fund for their generous support of Jazz Fest and the School of American Music. ❤️

We are deeply grateful to each of them - and to all of our Jazz Fest sponsors for helping make this weekend possible.

Our fundraising events are about so much more than the events themselves. They are a lifeline for SAM's mission. The support generated through Jazz Fest helps us provide:

🎶 Free community music programs that bring people together through music.

🎓 Scholarship assistance that helps ensure financial circumstances don't prevent students from experiencing the benefits of music education.

🎤 Opportunities for people of all ages to participate in and experience live music.

At SAM, we believe that the joy of music should be accessible to everyone. Whether you're a child picking up an instrument for the first time, a student receiving a scholarship, a family attending a free concert, or an adult finding community through singing or performing, music has the power to connect us, inspire us, and enrich our lives.

That is our mission. And we couldn't do it without people who believe in that mission enough to invest in it.

Thank you, Mike + Cheryl, Margaret + Kevin, Dennis, the Klynstra Giving Fund, and every sponsor who makes Jazz Fest and the work of SAM, possible. Your generosity reaches far beyond one weekend. It helps create musical opportunities throughout our community all year long.

We hope you'll join us for Jazz Fest and help us celebrate the incredible community that makes this work possible. ❤️

🎷 Jazz Fest 2026 | September 18–20
Great Music. Great Weekend. Great Cause.
https://www.schoolofamericanmusic.com/events-tickets/event-one-rg2bh-mx2wm-f9yya

As the headlining artists for this year’s festival, two-time GRAMMY Award winner Kurt Elling and acclaimed jazz pianist Ben Paterson bring a rare and electrifying collaboration for a one-night-only performance!

09/09/2026

Jazz Musicians - Come Sit In at Jazz Fest 2026!

The Players Open Mic Showcase is bringing an afternoon of spontaneous, creative jazz to The Vickers Theatre, and jazz musicians are invited to join in!

📅 Saturday, September 19
⏰ 1:00 PM Eastern
📍 The Vickers Theatre | Three Oaks, MI

If you’re a jazz musician and would like to drop in, sit in, and play with the Merrimans’ Playhouse Players, come on out! Performing musicians can join us for just a $10 donation to the School of American Music at the door.

Not a musician? Come experience the fun from the audience! You never know who might step up to play or where the music will take us. Tickets are still available for guests who want to enjoy this creative and exciting afternoon of live jazz.

It’s all part of Jazz Fest 2026: The Art of the Song, benefiting the School of American Music and our mission to make music accessible to change lives.

Musicians, bring your instrument and join the session. Jazz lovers, grab a seat and enjoy the show! https://acornlive.org/events/jazz-saturday-9-19-26/

09/08/2026

Tickets are still available at https://acornlive.org/events/wildflowers-9-18-26/

09/08/2026

🌟 Jazz Fest Sponsor Spotlight: McCollum Architects

We are so grateful to have McCollum Architects supporting Jazz Fest, and even more grateful for the many ways Bill McCollum and his wife, Diane Pyshos, have supported the School of American Music over the years. ❤️

Bill's relationship with SAM is woven right into our physical building. He helped us design our current studio space and the outdoor stage behind the school - spaces that have become an important part of SAM's ability to teach, gather, perform, and bring music to our community.

With 40 years of experience as an architect licensed in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, Bill has designed an incredibly diverse range of projects, from homes and restaurants to community spaces, churches, municipal buildings, amphitheaters, and residential developments.

But what stands out to us about McCollum Architects is the firm's deep commitment to community.

The firm works on renovation, restoration, adaptive reuse, housing, and community development projects designed to create dignified, meaningful spaces for people and organizations. Sustainability is also central to their work, with an emphasis on environmentally responsible buildings, thoughtful design, and practical solutions that make sense for the people who use them.

That philosophy feels very familiar to us at SAM.

Take something that already has meaning. Respect its history. Give it new life. Create something that serves the community for years to come.

That's exactly what Bill helped us do with our SAM space.

We are incredibly thankful to Bill and Diane for their longstanding friendship and support of SAM, and for Bill's talent, creativity, and generosity in helping us create spaces where music, learning, and community can come together.

Thank you for believing in what we're building - and for helping us build it. ❤️

🎷 Jazz Fest 2026 | September 18–20
Great Music. Great Weekend. Great Cause.
https://schoolofamericanmusic.com/events-tickets/event-one-rg2bh-mx2wm-f9yya

A 40 year legacy ... We turn every architecture project into an art form, drawing on experiences of the past but designing for modern living.

09/07/2026

🎷 JAZZ FEST SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: THE VICKERS THEATRE

We’re proud to recognize The Vickers Theatre as a partner and in-kind sponsor of SAM’s Jazz Fest!

The Vickers has opened the doors of its beautiful historic theatre to SAM, providing a truly unique setting for live music. This year, they are once again generously supporting Jazz Fest and will host all three of our Saturday, September 19 performances. With its intimate 126-seat setting and classic art-house atmosphere, there really is something special about experiencing live jazz at The Vickers!

And they’re helping us kick off Jazz Fest weekend a little early! 🎬 On Thursday, September 17 at 7 PM, The Vickers will present the jazz-infused classic film Paris Blues - the perfect way to get into the Jazz Fest spirit!

The Vickers is much more than a movie theatre. Through independent, documentary, foreign, and popular films, and special events like Jazz Fest, it creates experiences that bring people together, spark conversation, and enrich our community. Add in the vintage theatre atmosphere, real-butter popcorn, old-fashioned candy, wine and beer, and it remains one of Three Oaks’ true treasures.

Thank you to The Vickers Theatre for believing in the power of film, music, and community - and for being a wonderful partner to SAM and Jazz Fest! ❤️

09/06/2026

🌟 Jazz Fest Sponsor Spotlight: Neil Hackler| Engel & Völkers

We are thrilled to welcome Neil as a first-time Jazz Fest sponsor this year! 🎶

While this may be Neil’s first year as a Jazz Fest sponsor, his support of the School of American Music goes back much further.

In early 2025, Neil rolled up his sleeves and joined other community members in helping paint and redo the interior of SAM’s building. That kind of hands-on community support is something we don't take for granted.

Neil’s commitment to community comes naturally. Growing up in Rushville, Indiana, he learned the importance of treating everyone with respect, helping those in need, and being part of a strong community, values that continue to shape both his life and his career.

With more than 17 years in real estate and more than $175 million in residential sales, Neil brings a combination of market knowledge, professionalism, communication, negotiation skills, and genuine empathy to his work. Today, he is affiliated with Engel & Völkers Shoreline in Michigan and Engel & Völkers Chicago, helping clients navigate buying and selling homes in Southwest Michigan, Chicago, and beyond.

And we're especially happy that Neil has made Three Oaks part of his story. After purchasing a property here, he has embraced the community and everything Southwest Michigan has to offer, from its people and outdoor lifestyle to its restaurants, culture, and small-town charm.

Neil, thank you for supporting SAM - not only as a Jazz Fest sponsor, but as someone who has already shown up and helped us build something special. We are grateful for your generosity, your community spirit, and your belief in SAM.

We can't wait to celebrate with you at Jazz Fest! ❤️

🎶 Jazz Fest 2026 | September 18–20
Great Music. Great Weekend. Great Cause.
https://schoolofamericanmusic.com/events-tickets/event-one-rg2bh-mx2wm-f9yya

Neil Hackler offers professional real estate services for those looking to buy, sell, or rent.