March 29, 2026, 3-5 pm

Old Dutch Church, Kingston, NY

Bard College, together with the City of Kingston Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs and the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley, will host “Music and Diplomacy” – a panel discussion and musical performance. This event is part of Kingston’s USA250 series of celebrations. It aims to explore how music has served as an important element of intercultural exchange and American soft power throughout the country’s history.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Malia Du Mont, vice president for strategy and policy and chief of staff at Bard College. It will feature Jim Ketterer, jazz musician and former diplomat who served in the State Department and on the National Security Council. The panel will also feature Phil Tappan, deputy commander of the West Point Band, and Jindong Cai, director of Bard’s US-China Music Institute.

The panel discussion will be followed by a musical performance by musicians from the local community, Bard College and Jim Ketterer.