MoCA CT

MoCACT Sessions: Miki Aoki, solo piano
2026-04-11 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Pianist Miki Aoki transforms the recital into a vibrant dialogue across time. From Bach’s architectural clarity (reimagined by Busoni) to Poulenc’s modern wit, Clara Schumann’s intimate lyricism, and Chopin’s poetic fire, this program bridges tradition and reinvention. An evening of elegance, bold expression, and fresh perspective.

Tickets

MoCACT Presents: Brubeck Brothers Quartet
2026-04-12 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
ALL TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT.
Brothers Chris and Dan Brubeck—who first recorded together in 1966—lead this dynamic ensemble through straight-ahead jazz inflected with funk, blues, and global rhythms. Their chart-topping album LifeTimes showcases the Quartet’s masterful improvisations and adventurous exploration of odd time signatures, drawing on a legacy that includes performances at major festivals worldwide and collaborations with orchestras from Philadelphia to Singapore. With guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb rounding out the group, the BBQ honors the spontaneous spirit of jazz while forging its own distinctive path.
Choose from two ticket options that offer full access to our exhibition Art, Jazz + the Blues, as the galleries transform into a speakeasy-inspired jazz lounge—an immersive extension of the exhibition, generously sponsored by Conlon Amendola, Attorneys at Law.
VIP EXPERIENCE – $150

• Special-edition t-shirt designed by Westport artist Miggs Burroughs
• Preferred seating
• Personal bar service with wine, beer, and sparkling water
• Signature cocktails
• Curated light bites by A·S Westport

About the Brubeck Brothers Quartet:
Chris and Dan Brubeck have been making music together practically all their lives. Drummer Dan and bassist, trombonist, and composer Chris cut their first record together in 1966—nearly a half century ago. They’ve subsequently played a variety of styles in a number of different groups, as well as with their father, jazz giant Dave Brubeck, and with their own Brubeck Brothers Quartet. With Dan and Chris as the foundation, guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb, complete this dynamic quartet. They perform at concert series, colleges, and jazz festivals across North America and Europe, including the Newport, Detroit, Montreal, Playboy/Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey Jazz Festivals. The Quartet’s last cd, LifeTimes,< was a hit on the JazzWeek radio chart where it made the Top Ten list as one of the most played jazz recordings of the year.
“The playing that takes place on LifeTimes – the wondrous combination of swing, melodic majesty, masterful arrangements and a truckload of truly inspirational solos – just adds a vibrancy and color to songs I thought I knew and loved on a deep level. It turns out that there was still plenty of depth I could have discovered. I just needed someone to point the way and that is exactly what these four gentlemen have done through LifeTimes.” – Seattle Times
These versatile musicians also collaborate with orchestras all across the U.S. as well as internationally, including performing with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and the Russian National Orchestra. With Chris Brubeck’s compositions as a vehicle, the BBQ has joined with chamber groups to collaborate with musicians from the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Russian National Symphony Orchestra.
Although the Quartet’s style is rooted in “straight-ahead” jazz, their concerts reveal an inherent ability to explore and play odd time signatures while naturally integrating the influences of funk, blues and world music. The group’s creativity, technique and improvisation can be heard in their uncompromising music, which reflects their dedication to melody, rhythm, culture and the spontaneous spirit of jazz.

April 2026 School Recess Creativity Camp
2026-04-13 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-14 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-15 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-16 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-17 09:00 - 12:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Register here: $75.00 per day.
Children Ages 4-9
9AM-12PM, during the week of April 13-17, 2026
Please pack a labeled, nut-free snack and a water bottle
All participants must be restroom independent
Creativity Camp is designed for students ages 4-9 who love working with their hands and are fascinated with the arts!
Compelling projects explore painting, clay, found objects, collage, mixed media and more.
Teacher led demonstrations provide technical instruction and hands on guidance and students have creative freedom within each project to develop artworks that embrace their personal interests.
Sign up for single days or the whole week.
Your child will have a fantastic and creative adventure at MoCACT!

Art Adventures
2026-04-18 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-04-25 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-05-16 12:00 - 13:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Book Now: https://checkout.mocact.org/EventAvailability?EventId=401
Your child can join us every Saturday for a relaxed and inspiring drop-in art class at the museum!
MoCA/CT Art Studio Classroom – entrance in back
$25.00/per child
Ages 4+

ECCB Salon Series
2026-04-23 19:30 - 20:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
East Coast Contemporary Ballet returns to MoCA with an excerpt from their upcoming Spring Season that will be followed by an artist talk-back with the audience.
ECCB’s dynamic mixed repertory season includes a premiere that is currently being created in collaboration with Italian artist Luca Serasini and is inspired by his sculpture “Waiting for Angels.” This contemporary ballet will delve into the modern-day anticipation for help and guidance in the face of personal and societal anxieties. The work will inspire audiences to ask themselves, In what ways do we have agency over our future and how impactful is the sentiment of hope in our darkest moments?
Don’t miss this intimate evening of captivating contemporary dance and a rare opportunity to explore a work in progress and speak directly with the choreographers and dancers.
Tickets

Mic at the Museum
2026-04-30 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Calling all teens! Join us for Mic at the Museum, a Teen Open Mic Night on April 30 from 6–8 PM, organized and hosted by the MoCACT Teen Council. Teens are invited to take the stage and share music, poetry, comedy, spoken word, or any creative act in a relaxed, art-filled space. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Come perform, support your friends, and enjoy a fun evening celebrating teen creativity!
Sign Up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWkMNHBV-u87thZ7W0D2TtFu-kTnGjyc0sN9BUdp5Rj5R2dw/viewform?usp=header

Art Adventures
2026-05-02 12:00 - 13:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Book Now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/aradve/
Your child can join us every Saturday for a relaxed and inspiring drop-in art class at the museum!
MoCA/CT Art Studio Classroom – entrance in back
$25.00/per child
Ages 4+

Inside Art + Jazz with WPKN
2026-05-02 18:00 - 19:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
MoCACT welcomes you into its entry gallery space to enjoy music and the arts in an intersecting social event. Guest DJ Jim Motavalli will play a curated selection of songs throughout the night in conjunction with our current exhibition, Art, Jazz + the Blues.
A freelance journalist whose jazz writing appears in the New York City Jazz Record, Jim is also the author of nine books and serves as a radio host and publicity director for the listener-supported WPKN—described as the “greatest radio station in the world” by The New Yorker. Throughout the evening, he will guide the journey by introducing each album segment with the stories and historical context that define these recordings. His curated set features a narrative thread through the genre, including:

Art Tatum – “Tea for Two”
Charlie Parker – “Donna Lee”
Jaco Pastorius – “Donna Lee”
Thelonious Monk – “Well, You Needn’t”
Horace Silver – “Song for My Father” (alongside Steely Dan’s “Rikki, Don’t Lose That
Number”)
Miles Davis – “All Blues” (alongside Tim Buckley’s “Strange Feeling”)
John Coltrane – “Giant Steps”
Eric Dolphy – “Warm Canto”
Chet Baker – “Time After Time”
Johnny Hartman – “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”
Art Ensemble of Chicago – “Odwalla”
Dave Brubeck – “Blue Rondo à la Turk”

Tickets

Intuitive Painting: Awakening Your Creative Flow with Melissa Benedek
2026-05-03 11:00 - 14:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Cost: $120.00 per adult per class
This immersive experience invites you to connect deeply with your emotions while discovering your own artistic rhythm. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, you’ll leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and connected to your creative flow with abstract paintings that are uniquely yours.
*Materials included
– Register

One Degree of Separation: Jazz in ConnecticutA Community Conversation with Tom Duffy and Wayne Escoffery
2026-05-07 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
TICKETS

In conjunction with the exhibition Art, Jazz + the Blues, One Degree of Separation: Jazz in Connecticut explores the vibrant lineage of jazz in Connecticut and its influence on the global stage. This community conversation brings together two titans of the Yale School of Music, composer and conductor Thomas Duffy and Grammy-winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, for an intimate look at the history of jazz at Yale and beyond.
The program will weave together personal stories of mentorship and collaboration with a live musical interlude featuring Escoffery on the saxophone. Against the backdrop of jazz’s social and political history, Duffy and Escoffery will discuss how the genre serves as a bridge between the university, the community, and the world.
About the Speakers

Thomas Duffy
Thomas Duffy is a Professor in the Practice of Music and Director of University Bands at Yale University, where he has been a pillar of the musical community since 1982. An acclaimed composer and conductor, Duffy’s work sits at the intersection of music, science, and social impact. He is the creator of the award-winning “Duffy-Honan Intervention,” a musical training tool for nursing students, and has led the Yale Bands on twenty-two international tours across twenty-three countries. A former Deputy Dean of the Yale School of Music, he has been awarded the Yale Tercentennial Medal and the Elm/Ivy Award for his advocacy and leadership in the arts.

Wayne Escoffery
Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is a master of the tenor and soprano saxophone and a perennial winner of the Downbeat Critics Poll. Currently the Director of Jazz Ensembles at Yale University, Escoffery’s career has seen him perform alongside legends such as Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and the Mingus Big Band. A New Haven native and protégé of Jackie McLean, he founded the Black Art Jazz Collective and has toured the globe as a premier sideman and bandleader. His most recent album, Alone (2024), featuring Gerald Clayton and Ron Carter, has been hailed by critics as a masterpiece, receiving 5 stars from The London Times.

Art Adventures
2026-05-09 12:00 - 13:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Book Now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/aadventu/
Your child can join us every Saturday for a relaxed and inspiring drop-in art class at the museum!
MoCA/CT Art Studio Classroom – entrance in back
$25.00/per child
Ages 4+

Sound Bath Meditation with Hummingbird Healing Arts - with Lisa Pak
2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Cost: $40.00/per person
Lisa’s unique immersive Sound Bath Meditations are multi-instrumental soundscapes designed to reset your nervous system.
*Please bring a yoga mat and pillow
– Register

Westport Writers Workshop at MoCACT
2026-05-14 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Join us for an inspiring evening of art and writing. We’ll use MoCACT’s powerful exhibit “Art, Jazz + the Blues” as a portal into our own creativity. In this workshop we’ll identify the elements of the exhibited art that most capture our imagination and use this as a jumping-off point. Writers of all levels are welcome.
Book Now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/westportwritersworkshopatmocact/

CAMP MoCA OPEN HOUSE - Free event for families
2026-05-16 09:30 - 11:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Cost: FREE at MoCACT
Summer camp families—both returning and new—are invited to a special Camp MoCA Open House for a sneak peek at all the creativity and fun in store this summer! May 16 – Camp MoCA Open House.
– Register

MoCACT Sessions: Karisa Chiu, violin and Frederic Chiu, piano
2026-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Experience an evening of expressive brilliance with internationally acclaimed violinist Karisa Chiu—celebrated for her “distinctive and fascinating intellect” and prizewinning virtuosity—and renowned pianist Frederic Chiu, whose expansive career and imaginative programming have captivated audiences worldwide. Together, they bring depth, nuance, and electrifying artistry to a program spanning Fauré’s elegance, Prokofiev’s intensity, and Bright Sheng’s evocative contemporary voice.

Tickets

Art Adventures
2026-05-23 12:00 - 13:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Book Now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/aradventu/
Your child can join us every Saturday for a relaxed and inspiring drop-in art class at the museum!
MoCA/CT Art Studio Classroom – entrance in back
$25.00/per child
Ages 4+

Film Screening: "Jazz on a Summer's Day" with Q+A
2026-05-28 18:30 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Film Screening of 1959 Jazz on a Summer’s Day
Followed by a Q+A with Brian Kane
Thursday May 28 at 6:30–9:00PM
Film duration: 1h 25m
Register Here: $20 general admission, $10 seniors, $10 students, and free for members

Experience the intersection of jazz history and visual art at MoCACT on Thursday, May 28, at 6:30 PM for a screening of the 1959 documentary Jazz on a Summer’s Day directed by photographer Bert Stern. The film captures the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, documented in vibrant color and high-fashion style. Rather than a standard concert film, it unfolds as a visual poem that interweaves legendary musical performances with scenes of the coastal crowds and the America’s Cup yacht races. This landmark documentary serves as a cinematic extension of our current exhibition, Art, Jazz + the Blues, bringing the same energy and rhythm found in our galleries to the screen.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Brian Kane, a scholar of music theory and philosophy who specializes in the intersection of sound, improvisation, and 20th-century jazz. Kane brings a unique perspective to the film’s legacy, exploring how these legendary performances continue to resonate within the history of American art. Brian Kane is Professor of Music and Film and Media Studies at Yale University. He earned his PhD from UC Berkeley and was a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University before joining Yale University. He teaches and writes about jazz, sound, media, and technology—and how the ways we listen influence how we understand the world. He is the author of two books published by Oxford University Press: Sound Unseen: Acousmatic Sound in Theory and Practice (2014) and Hearing Double: Jazz, Ontology, Auditory Culture (2024). Kane leads Yale’s Sound Studies Working Group and is a founding editor of nonsite.org, an online journal of arts and ideas.
As you watch the film, you will recognize the very figures who served as direct muses for several artists in our exhibition. The film features Louis Armstrong, a vital inspiration for Richard Hunt, Faith Ringgold, and Tracy Sugarman, alongside Thelonious Monk, whose improvisational genius influenced Sam Gilliam and is captured in John H. Nichols’ Pianorama in our larger gallery space. Additionally, the appearance of Mahalia Jackson highlights her profound impact on the work of Romare Bearden. Join us for an evening of legendary film and insightful conversation.

Brian Kane

Art Adventures
2026-05-30 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-06-06 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-06-13 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-06-20 12:00 - 13:30, 2026-06-27 12:00 - 13:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Book Now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/mocactevents/event/aadventure/
Your child can join us every Saturday for a relaxed and inspiring drop-in art class at the museum!
MoCA/CT Art Studio Classroom – entrance in back
$25.00/per child
Ages 4+

Camp MoCA Summer Camp
2026-06-15 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-15 09:00 - 2026-08-17 15:00 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Full Day 9-3 and Half Day 9-12:30.
