Jazz Ensemble Performs Nov. 29

VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State University Jazz Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29, on the Whitehead Auditorium stage. Admission is free of charge and open to the public.

Throughout the evening, the Jazz Ensemble will entertain audience members with music by the legendary Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, as well as new arrangements by the Foo Fighters and Snarky Puppy. The students will be joined on stage by special guests Matt Roehrich, assistant professor of saxophone at VSU; Jesse Cook, assistant professor of trumpet at VSU; and Ryan Smith, assistant professor of percussion at VSU.

The VSU Jazz Ensemble was recently the only college jazz ensemble selected to perform at the 2017 Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference Jan. 26-28 in Athens. Tuesday’s concert will serve as a preview of what the group plans to share with the state’s top public school, private school, college, university, and private studio music educators and their students during the conference.

Conducted by David Springfield, assistant professor of jazz piano and director of VSU’s Jazz Studies Program, the VSU Jazz Ensemble “is the premier performing jazz ensemble in the jazz area … with a repertoire ranging from Big Band Era standards to contemporary styles and original jazz compositions.” The group has toured Europe and performed with such artists as Marvin Stamm, Dizzy Gillespie, Byron Stripling, Ernie Watts, and more.

Whitehead Auditorium is located on the first floor of the VSU Fine Arts Building, at the intersection of Oak Street and Brookwood Drive.

Contact David Springfield at (229) 333-5805 or daspring@valdosta.edu to learn more.