The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami announced the first lineup of distinguished alumni set to perform legendary hits spanning the decades at the Centennial Celebration Concert on Tuesday, April 8: Bruce Hornsby performing “The Way it Is;” Jon Secada performing “Just Another Day;” Ben Folds performing “Theme from ‘Dr. Pyser;'” Metheny Medley performing “Have You Heard” and “Are You Going With Me;” Joshua Henry performing “The Room Where it Happens” from “Hamilton;” and Idarose performing “Glimpse of Us.” The multigenerational, award-winning artists will be welcomed to the stage by fellow University of Miami alumnus and renowned TV host and producer, Jason Kennedy. Free and open to the public, the Centennial Celebration Concert will take place at 7 p.m. on the Lakeside Patio at the University of Miami’s Coral Gables Campus.
The Centennial Celebration Concert will occur exactly 100 years from the day the University of Miami signed its charter in 1925 and prepared to later welcome its first class of students in the fall of 1926. At the time of its founding, the University of Miami comprised just two schools, including the Conservatory of Music, which was later renamed the Frost School of Music, and the evening division. Now, 100 years later, the University of Miami includes 12 schools and colleges, serving more than 19,000 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 180 majors and programs, and has more than 200,000 alumni with degrees from the highly acclaimed institution.
Dean Shelton G. “Shelly” Berg of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami said, “From the beginning, music has been integral to the University of Miami’s identity. We were there when the University was establishing its reputation, and today, the Frost School of Music continues to exemplify the promise and prestige of a University of Miami education.”
Added Dean Berg, “The Frost School of Music and University of Miami boast a powerful, invaluable alumni network. That’s part of the promise and immeasurable benefit of attending school here, and it’s why so many of these incredible alumni, from across multiple generations, will be with us to commemorate the centennial milestone on April 8 and help us celebrate the bright and bold future we’re forging together.”
On Tuesday, April 8, the Centennial Celebration festivities kick off with a Canes Carnival, featuring rides, games, and music on the Foote Green starting at 5 p.m. Festival attendees can also enjoy the Centennial Block Party from 5 to 9 p.m., with complimentary food stations along Miller Circle from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Like the Centennial Celebration Concert, the Canes Carnival and Centennial Block Party are free and open to the public. The entire celebration is organized by the University’s Centennial Working Group and Honorary Committee, composed of alumni, students, faculty and staff members, and trustees, with the Centennial Celebration Concert organized by Frost School of Music Dean Shelly Berg. More information on the events can be found on the University’s centennial website at 100.miami.edu.
The theme for the University of Miami’s centennial year is “The Future is U,” an homage to the institution’s upward trajectory, its network of more than 200,000 alumni, and the forward-thinking vision that has positioned the University among the top research institutions in the country.
University of Miami Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement and Chair of the Centennial Working Committee Patricia A. Whitely said, “The University of Miami’s 100-year legacy as a leading institution is extraordinary. Our community is eager to celebrate a century of achievement while looking ahead to the future we will shape together. The start of our centennial celebration heralds even greater successes, innovations, and milestones for the University. That’s why it’s only fitting that we come together en masse here in Coral Gables, with University of Miami students and alumni also set to join us remotely from across the globe for this truly historic landmark moment.”
Throughout 2025, the University of Miami and its schools, including the Frost School of Music, will continue to celebrate historic achievements from the past 100 years as they look ahead to the next century, with many of the festivities featuring students, alumni, faculty and staff members, donors, and other esteemed community members.
On April 8, the Frost School of Music will honor 144 alumni artists, leaders, and visionaries with Frost School Centennial Medals. The first Centennial Medals were presented to more than 21 Frost School alumni at the opening of the state-of-the-art Knight Center for Music Innovation. Previous honorees include Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Lee Levin, Dawnn Lewis, Carmen Lundy, and Jon Secada, among others.
Added Dean Berg, “Setting a new standard for what makes a great music school has long been a hallmark of the Frost School of Music. Our legacy is shaped by those who have made outstanding contributions to the school and the music world and whose messages have resonated at critical and emotional times. As we prepare to embark on our next century, it’s our pleasure to be able to bestow Frost School Centennial Medals on so many of our alumni and other esteemed supporters who’ve amplified the Frost School’s efforts to create, cultivate, and enhance the future of music to benefit musicians today and into the future.”
