By Chris Beswetherick
This quarter of concerts from Western’s various music groups culminates with several end-of-quarter performances from jazz ensembles, combos and chamber orchestras the week of November 28 to December 4.
Starting off the week is WWU’s Viking Vocal Jazz, a jazz choir club, with “Swingin’ to Winter.” Their performance is scheduled for Monday November 28 in the Performing Arts Center 016. Their show offers free admission, but encourages audience members to donate. At the performance, there will be food for sale; proceeds will fund the jazz group. The jazz choir group at Western has been reemerging in the music department over the past few years under leadership from Serena Williams.
Western’s jazz choir faded away several years ago, so revitalizing the program has been demanding, but more and more members have joined recently. In fact, just last year anyone could join the club, however now the group holds auditions. Like other styles in the music department, jazz choir is looking forward to their end-of-the-quarter holiday performance.
On November 29, Chamber I, an ensemble of percussion, brass and wind instruments, have their final concert of the quarter in PAC 155 at 7:30 p.m. Then, the following night at the same place and time, WWU’s symphonic band will perform their end-of-the-quarter show. Chamber II also plans a final-performance on Thursday December 1, also in the concert hall (PAC 155) at 7:30 p.m.
“I simply cannot believe there are so many concerts happening in just one week,” Steven Wright, a member of WWU’s jazz combo two said. “It must be so stressful for our teachers and everyone involved. I am so excited to see the performances, though. I know our department is talented.”
Somehow, the department made room for yet another high-scale performance. WWU’s Jazz Ensemble I, along with Western’s symphony orchestra and dance BFA, has rehearsed Duke Ellington’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.” The piece will be conducted in two parts, the orchestra with the traditional suite and the jazz ensemble with Duke Ellington’s “The Harlem Nutcracker,” and to top it off, a dance choreographed to the music.
Ellington’s version of every movement transforms classical sounds into a jazz version. “The Nutcracker” is a familiar performance for many students and families. The jazz department’s decision to split the performance up into two parts will allow students to see multiple sides to music and how it can be arranged creatively.
“This music has been a challenge to learn,” sophomore Krista Turley, a member of Jazz Ensemble 1, said. “Jillian Roth, another member of the band, and I needed to practice diligently outside of class so we could actually perform. Some of the pieces are difficult to read through and translate into the music.”
Turley is a baritone saxophone player so her breath is vital to her performance.
“There is one part where there are so many 16th notes and even when I play it slow I cannot figure it out,” Turley said.
When she demonstrated this piece, her breathing became rapid and she powered through. Her face became red, but her instrument sang the familiar notes of “The Nutcracker.”
“What’s even cooler about the performance is we are not the only part of the show,” Turley said. “There is a choreographed number from the dance BFA.”
The groups scheduled two performances of this show, one December 2, and the other on December 3. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets cost $15, which goes to the music department’s scholarships.
This week of performances displays the amount of artistic talent at Western. These groups are celebrating the end of the quarter with this music, so join them to celebrate the holiday season through music.
