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Students Shined in the Big Band and Jazz Concert!
Memorial Hall was swinging to the tunes of Chapman University’s Big Band and Jazz Combo on November 30th. Directed by Albert Alva, this semi-annual production showcased Chapman’s Big Band and Jazz students’ talents.
In collaboration with professional faculty like Albert Alva, who heads up both the Big Band and Jazz Combo classes, Chapman University students prepared all semester for this remarkable evening filled with classical jazz and big band tunes.
The light and fun atmosphere was accompanied by a captive audience of all ages. I even saw a little girl, no more than five years old, swaying to the rhythms of the jazz combo.
A very inclusive Big Band included two bass players and two drummers. I was thrilled to see that this semester, the big band also boasted flautist, Bella Staav. While flute is not completely out of place in a big band setting, I believe it showed the enthusiasm and diversity of the program to feature a dedicated flautist.
From the Jazz Combo’s rendition of Sweet Honey Bee composed by Lee Morgan to the Big Band’s final number, Getaway composed by Earth, Wind, and Fire I thought that the show was a delightful showcase of talented students. One audience member I spoke with said, “I thought it was really good this semester. The best it has been in a long time!” This audience member has been coming to see the Big Band and Jazz Concert for five years now!
With such great talent I look forward to the next semester’s production from Chapman University’s Big Band and Jazz Combo on April 26th. Mark your calendars!
Did you like this performance? Post and let me know!
For more information about Chapman University’s College of Performing Arts visit www.chapman.edu/copa. For tickets to future productions call
714-997-6519 or email CoPA@chapman.edu.
