Emanuele Macculi, a graduate of the Jazz Electric Bass program at Saint Louis, will take the stage with Miguel Zenón for More Than Jazz 2026.
The Saint Louis College of Music was represented by Emanuele Macculi in the project Miguel Zenón & EU NEW GEN 26, an original production presented as part of More Than Jazz 2026. The young musician, a student at the Institute of Higher Education in Art and Music in Rome, was part of the international ensemble led by Puerto Rican saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón, which performed on July 22, 2026, at the Cavallerizza, Udine.
EU NEW GEN 26 It brought together young musicians selected by prestigious European music institutions, who participated in a three-day artistic residency in Friuli-Venezia Giulia that culminated in a concert as part of the More Than Jazz festival. The project brought together Miguel Zenón, one of the most renowned figures in contemporary international jazz, and a new generation of musicians from diverse backgrounds in jazz education.
Alongside Miguel Zenón on saxophone, the ensemble EU NEW GEN 26 consisted of Jernej Bregar on tenor saxophone, selected by the G. Tartini Conservatory in Trieste, Anton Martinez on piano, from the Bern University of the Arts (Switzerland), Emanuele Macculi on electric bass for the Saint Louis College of Music in Rome and Simon Kirchner on drums, representing the Kunstuniversität Graz (Austria).
Emanuele Macculi’s participation in More Than Jazz 2026 It is part of Saint Louis’s ongoing initiative to foster interaction between students and the professional music world through original productions, concerts, festivals, and artistic collaborations. In previous years, the Institute had already participated in More Than Jazz with projects dedicated to young jazz musicians, creating opportunities for them to meet established artists and engage with international educational institutions.
The participation of a Saint Louis student in a project like EU NEW GEN 26 It highlights the value of live experiences in jazz music education: concerts, artist residencies, and international collaborations provide opportunities to develop interpretive skills, listening skills, and exposure to different musical approaches. Through these experiences, Saint Louis students can gain exposure to the professional world and the various facets of the contemporary music scene.
