Savannah Music Festival

Meet and Greet with 2025 Poster Artist Matt Hebermehl
2025-04-03 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | GA
Join us for a special Meet & Greet with Matt Hebermehl, the artist behind the official 2025 Savannah Music Festival poster. Stop by the Festival Pop-Up Shop at 402 East Broughton Street to meet Matt, learn about his creative process, and get your official festival poster signed. While you’re there, browse a selection of festival merchandise from this season and past years, and enjoy light refreshments. Artist Matt Hebermehl was commissioned to create the artwork for the 2025 festival season. About the assignment, Matt says: “I am excited and honored to have worked with the team at SMF to create art for this year’s festival. I wanted to design bold, singular iconography that conveys the emotive experience of live music.” Matt creates visual vortexes—his work shape-shifts to fit both the space and the occasion, from the crumpled confines of scrap paper to the broad expanse of a stadium wall. Compelling and often collaborative, Hebermehl’s artwork transforms shared spaces and enhances collective experiences. Funding for community impact programming is provided by the Wall Lynch Family

SMF Jazz Academy Masterclass with Lakecia Benjamin
2025-04-09 17:00 - 18:00 | GA
Students in SMF Jazz Academy perform for and receive feedback from Lakecia Benjamin. The bands will be playing Benjamin’s tunes as well as their own compositions. This masterclass features the Messengers, SlamBand and Outreach ensembles, with students in 6th-12th grade from nine different schools. Funding for community impact programming is provided by the Wall Lynch Family

SMF Jazz Academy Masterclass with Allison Miller
2025-04-10 17:00 - 18:00 | Trustees Theater, 216 E Broughton St., Savannah, GA, 31401, United States
Students in SMF Jazz Academy’s Messengers, SlamBand and Outreach ensembles perform for and receive feedback from Allison Miller, including works from Rivers in Our Veins. These three ensembles are open to SMF Jazz Academy students by audition only, and offer unique opportunities for public performance in professional settings. Funding for community impact programming is provided by the Wall Lynch Family

Songwriting Panel Discussion
2025-04-10 18:00 - 19:00 | GA
Join the local musicians of SMF’s 2024-25 Songwriting Workshop as they discuss creative process, songcraft, music in Savannah, and their work with the 2024-25 Artist in Residence, Kaia Kater. They will also perform select works-in-progress.

Savannah Music Festival’s Artist-in-Residence Kaia Kater is a Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for her innovative blend of folk, bluegrass, and Appalachian influences. With poetic lyricism and a rich, emotive voice, she explores themes of identity, history, and social justice. She has released multiple critically acclaimed albums and has performed at festivals and venues worldwide.

Mary Rose Brown is a singer-songwriter blending ’70s rock, jazz, Americana, and dance-pop. She left the traditional college path to pursue music full-time in Savannah, GA. Her upcoming debut album Anastasia explores ambition, identity, and the cost of chasing fame.

Greg Fortune is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist blending blues, R&B, and jazz into a soulful sound. Originally from Arizona and now based in Atlanta, he has released three full-length albums and performed extensively, including a residency at Hard Rock Cafe. He recently represented Atlanta at the 2024 International Blues Challenge.

Kyrin Fox is a singer-songwriter from Savannah, GA, specializing in indie folk music with acoustic guitar. She is currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Sound Design with a Minor in Music Composition at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Bennett Fraelle has performed everywhere from living rooms to concert halls, blending classical, folk, and rock influences. Inspired by the techniques of Leo Kottke and the songwriting of Lennon and McCartney, he creates music with one goal in mind: connecting with his audience.

Susanna Kennedy grew up immersed in music, from singing in church choirs to playing classical violin. Her indie folk sound is marked by emotionally evocative melodies and lyrics. She is currently recording her debut EP at Back Room Records, set for release later this year.

Laiken Love is a powerhouse vocalist and leader of Laiken Love & Fellowship of Love, setting the standard for live entertainment in Savannah since 2014. She has performed at major festivals and corporate events, worked as a session singer, and collaborates with Savannah Music Festival as a Musical Explorers host.

Vikram Perry is a Savannah-based musician with a B.A. in Music from Oberlin College. He works as a choral scholar at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John, a house musician for Front Porch Improv, and a music director for local theater. He explores genres from folk and Americana to Indian classical and bluegrass.

Andrew Sovine is a Nashville-born multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and composer whose work—most notably with Ashley McBryde—has earned multiple Grammy nominations. He owns and operates The Back Room Record Studio in Savannah, GA, and occasionally plays loud music with friends. Funding for community impact programming is provided by the Wall Lynch Family.

Rivers in Our Veins Panel Discussion
2025-04-11 20:30 - 21:30 | Trustees Theater, 216 E Broughton St., Savannah, GA, 31401, United States
Panel begins at conclusion of Allison Miller’s Rivers in our Veins concert. Join Allison Miller, UGA Marine Science Institute, and others in conversation about Miller’s original jazz suite and the unique cultural and ecological significance of rivers in our lives. A brief Q&A will follow the discussion. Funding for community impact programming is provided by the Wall Lynch Family
