Hope College will present the Jazz Arts Collective, Mainstream Ensemble and Contemporary Ensemble on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
The jazz chamber ensembles at Hope College afford students the opportunity to perform in the classic small group combo setting. The ensembles vary in size and instrumentation, and place a creative focus on improvisation and group communication. All of the ensembles perform works from the classic jazz repertoire. The more advanced jazz chamber ensembles also perform repertoire from the contemporary jazz world. The ensembles also place an emphasis on original student and faculty compositions.
All of the ensembles are coached by members of the Hope College jazz faculty. The jazz chamber ensembles are open to anyone interested, regardless of experience with jazz.
The Contemporary Ensemble will be performing “Ornithology,” by Charlie Parker, and “Pools,” by Don Grolnick. The group is coached by Brian Coyle, who is a professor of music and director of jazz studies at Hope. The students in the ensemble are: senior Jared DeMeester of Grand Rapids, bass; senior Michael Graverson of Hamilton, guitar; freshman Andrew Sicard of South Haven, drums; and senior Meghan Stagl of Deerfield, Ill., piano/voice.
The Mainstream Ensemble will be performing “Tenor Madness,” by Sonny Rollins; “Alabama,” by John Coltrane; and “Fungi Mama,” by Blue Mitchell. The ensemble is coached by Robert Hodson, professor of music and chairperson of the department. The students in the ensemble are: senior Daniel Langholz of Ramstein, Germany, trombone; junior Matthew Milliken of Roscommon, tenor saxophone; freshman Josiah Panning of Holland, bass; freshman Brent Stevenson of Chicago, Ill., drums; and junior Andrew Valesano of Sherwood, Ore., piano.
The Jazz Arts Collective is the premier large jazz ensemble at Hope. The collective places a creative focus on ensemble communication and improvisation. Comprised of a rhythm section and flexible wind/string instrumentation, the select group performs compositions and arrangements from across the full spectrum of music. The collective’s repertoire ranges from the great historical jazz composers such as Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus, to works by modern jazz masters like Vince Mendoza, Jim McNeely and John Hollenbeck. The Jazz Arts Collective frequently performs commissions, works by emerging young composers, and originals by Hope faculty and students. The ensemble also collectively reinterprets and re-imagines the music from the 20th century classical repertoire.
The Jazz Arts Collective will be performing “Chippin’ In,” by Brian Lynch; “All Over Again,” by Roy Hargrove; “Affluencia,” by Bill Cunliffe; and “Birdflight,” by Brian Lynch. The ensemble is coached by Robert Hodson, professor of music and chairperson of the department. The students in the ensemble include: senior Jared DeMeester of Grand Rapids, bass; sophomore Palmer D’Orazio of Clarkston, alto saxophone; senior Michael Graverson of Hamilton, guitar; junior Jake Kalmink of Zeeland, baritone saxophone/samples/turntable; senior Daniel Langholz of Ramstein, Germany, trombone; freshman Alex Markos of Houston, Texas, trumpet; junior Matthew Milliken of Roscommon, tenor saxophone; junior Eve Panning of Holland, violin; senior Meghan Stagl of Deerfield, Ill., vocals/keyboard; freshman Brent Stevenson of Chicago, Ill., drums; and junior Andrew Valesano of Sherwood, Ore., piano.
Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., on College Avenue at 12th Street.