Murray State Brass Choir and Jazz Orchestra to perform concert Feb. 6
By Shawn Touney | Jan 25, 2018
MURRAY, Ky. 鈥 The Brass Choir and Jazz Orchestra at Murray State University will perform a concert for the public Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Lovett Auditorium in preparation for their respective performances during the 2018 Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville.
鈥淲e are so happy to be able to share this evening of music with our university and our community,鈥 said Dr. Todd Hill, professor of music and director of the Murray State Jazz Orchestra. 鈥淲e are always proud to represent Murray State, but we are particularly honored to be set apart as an example of excellence for all the music educators in Kentucky. Of the four university ensembles across the state selected to perform, two being from Murray State makes a strong statement about the achievements of our students.鈥
The Murray State Brass Choir is making their irst appearance at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference under the direction of Dr. Todd French, assistant professor of music. An active part of the curriculum for the department of music since the 1960s, the Murray State Brass Choir is made up of 15 trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba majors. Selections for this program include 鈥淢agniicat鈥 by Johann Pachelbel, 鈥淕irl with the Flaxen Hair鈥 by Claude Debussy, 鈥淐oncerto Antiphonale鈥 by Va虂clav Nelhy虂bel, 鈥淔anfare Canzonique鈥 by Brian Balmages and 鈥淭ribute鈥 by Kevin McKee.
Also performing is the Murray State Jazz Orchestra in their fourth appearance at the conference under Hill鈥檚 direction. In addition to performing for the Kentucky Music Educators Association, in the past decade the group has recorded and released four albums, performed at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and made three appearances at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival. Selections from their upcoming performance include 鈥淔ull Count鈥 by Mark Taylor, 鈥淗arlem Air Shaft鈥 by Duke Ellington, 鈥淩ippin鈥 鈥榥 Runnin鈥欌 by Gordon Goodwin, 鈥淭ravelin鈥 Light鈥 by Trummy Young and Johnny Mercer, 鈥淒el Corazo虂n鈥 by Mike Tomaro and 鈥淚 Can鈥檛 Stop Loving You鈥 as arranged by Quincy Jones for Count Basie鈥檚 orchestra. Hill is assisted by Jonathan Nash, a Master of Music candidate at the University.