This project was completed as my Presidential Research Project through the Presidential Scholars Program at SUNY Potsdam, a program that empowers motivated and talented students to design independent projects that support their academic and professional growth. With guidance from faculty mentors and program funding, I developed an independent research project that extended my learning beyond the traditional classroom by combining scholarly research with live performance.

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My project explored the life, music, and lasting influence of the legendary jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown. My connection to Brown's music began when I was fourteen years old, when I was assigned to transcribe his solo on Sandu. Although the solo lasts only forty-six seconds, it took my instructor, Dr. Dave Chisholm, and I three months to fully analyze the twenty-seven-measure passage—a testament to Brown's melodic brilliance and technical mastery. That experience sparked questions that shaped this project: What makes Clifford Brown's improvisational language so enduring? How did he develop such a distinctive musical voice in only four years of recordings? And why do jazz musicians continue to regard him as one of the most influential improvisers in the history of the genre?

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To answer these questions, I conducted an extensive study of Brown's life, recordings, and historical context using scholarly literature and the Lougheed Learning Commons research databases. I identified and analyzed a curated selection of Brown's most influential recordings, tracing the evolution of his improvisational language, stylistic development, and artistic legacy. This research culminated in a public lecture-recital, where I presented my findings through a combination of analytical discussion and live performance, demonstrating Brown's musical concepts in practice. The lecture-recital was professionally recorded to document the completed project.

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The project extended well beyond its original scope through national and international dissemination. Research from this project was accepted for presentation at the 50th International Trumpet Guild Conference in Rochester, New York, where I was selected to present as both a lecturer in the conference's Research Room and as a presenter during the Poster Session. Sharing my work with an international audience of performers, educators, and scholars provided an opportunity to contribute to the broader conversation surrounding jazz trumpet pedagogy and Clifford Brown's enduring influence while representing SUNY Potsdam on one of the profession's most prestigious stages.

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This project strengthened my understanding of jazz history, advanced my analytical and improvisational skills, and provided valuable experience communicating scholarly research through both performance and academic presentation. It also reinforced the importance of integrating performance, historical inquiry, and education—an approach that continues to shape my work as a performer, educator, and researcher. The project was completed under the mentorship of Dr. SeungYoung Hong.

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For more information, visit https://www.potsdam.edu/academics/appliedlearning/studentresearch/presidential/molly-collins