Baylor University’s Concert Jazz Ensemble will present its first concert of the spring semester on Thursday evening at Jones Concert Hall.
The Concert Jazz Ensemble performs a variety of songs all stemming from the traditional genre of jazz. As an instrumental ensemble, there are no vocalists singing during each piece, but vocalist Heather Boswell will sing a piece between performances.
“[The Concert Jazz Ensemble] provides students with the opportunity to put into practical use the information discussed in their improvisation classes, the arranging classes and the jazz history class,” according to the School of Music’s website.
The Concert Jazz Ensemble performs at Baylor events and community events. It is an audition-based group, with multiple auditions held throughout the year. For the 2016-17 school year, there are 19 members.
This particular jazz ensemble is an extracurricular activity, meaning you do not have to be a certain major to participate, though it helps to have a musical background.
According to the School of Music website, the Baylor Concert Jazz Ensemble, “Provides students with the opportunity to play the music of the swing era to the music of cutting edge big bands of today.”
The Concert Jazz Ensemble is an organization that both students and citizens of Waco enjoy. Both groups have a diverse audience and fan base.
“Jazz music is one of my favorite genres of music,” said Phoenix graduate student Josh Davis. “I grew up listening to it because my dad liked it, so it’s nice to be able to have the opportunity to listen to a concert away from home.”
Pieces that will be performed in the concert range from Myles Collins’ arrangement of “Broadway” by Billy Byrd, Dizzy Gillespie’s “Oop Bop Sh’Bam” arranged by Gil Fuller, Pat Metheny’s “Always and Forever” arranged by Bob Curnow and David Berger’s arrangement of “Rumpus in Richmond.”
“The Jazz Ensemble is a great concert to listen to, and the pieces they have lined up are incredible. It’s different than the ‘typical’ type of music in Waco,” said former Baylor University student Kevin Engelbrecht.
The concert is free and it is open to the public. The Ensemble’s performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and last until 9 p.m.
