About the Vail Series

The Vail Series at Denison University, now in its 30th extraordinary year, shines among the very best arts education and performance programs in all of higher education.

Endowed by a generous gift from the late Mary and Foster McGaw in honor of Jeanne Vail, class of 1946, the Vail Series brings to campus the world’s premier performers, as well as astonishing new musical talents, enriching the artistic experience of the entire Denison Community. Programmed creatively with the mindful pursuit of interdisciplinary learning, the Series has been directed by Lorraine Wales from its inception.

Since the Vail Series’ founding in 1979, performances and residencies have included luminaries such as Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, Mark O’Connor, Itzhak Perlman, Wynton Marsalis, Leontyne Price, Dizzy Gillespie, Emanuel Ax, Béla Fleck, Bobby McFerrin, and Yuja Wang.

Several of these and other performers have been drawn back to Denison again and again—for as many as five separate visits (and counting), in the case of legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Why do they come back? Some may suggest it’s the venue—Swasey Chapel, high on the campus hill, is a beautiful and intimate place to sing, play, and dance. Or maybe it’s that combination of breezy sophistication and dedicated hospitality for which Granville is famous. It might even be the Goumas toffees and caramels, the signature gift that visiting artists always find waiting in their rooms. (One legendary musician called after his departure to ask that several boxes be sent to his home—in Switzerland!) But the real reason these incredible talents come back to this campus is the warm response they receive from Denison University’s students, faculty, and staff, and those fortunate few from the surrounding community who occasionally get hold of a coveted ticket.

As each new season begins, the students’ excitement about the Vail Series becomes a palpable buzz. And as each year closes, it’s not unusual to hear students, especially seniors, looking back on their time at Denison in virtual disbelief about the performances they’ve seen, the access they’ve had, the enrichment they’ve gained, and, of course, that most fundamental source of amazement—that all of their Vail tickets were free.

The Vail Series: a collaboration of high ideals and magnificent good fortune.