Jazz Up Your Fall With UK School of Music
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2017) — Ensembles from the University of Kentucky School of Music Jazz Studies program will host six concerts this November and December, starting with the UK Jazz Ensemble concert tonight, Nov. 2, and ending with the 14th annual Jazzy Holiday Concert on Dec. 12. All concerts, including several free events, will be presented at the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall.
UK Jazz Ensemble
Tonight, the UK Jazz Ensemble will be the first to take the stage. A very active group on the road, the UK Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Miles Osland, director of UK Jazz Studies and professor of saxophone, has toured the Midwest and South including performances in Chicago, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Louisville, Notre Dame University, Tennessee and Georgia, as well as invitational performances at the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. The UK Jazz Ensemble has twice been awarded the Outstanding Jazz Ensemble certificate at the annual Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival and multiple times at the Elmhurst Jazz Festival.
The UK Jazz Ensemble concert will begin 7:30 p.m., Nov. 2. Tickets are $9 for general admission and $4 for students with a valid ID through the Singletary Center box office.
UK Mega-Saxes
Next up, will be a program featuring UK Mega-Saxes. The Mega-Sax program at UK was established by Osland in 1989. The program is composed of Mega-Sax ensembles performing in quartets and quintets, with and without a rhythm section.
UK Mega-Saxes, under the direction of Osland and Austin Pence, will play 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8. This concert is free and open to the public.
UK Saxophone Quartets
The UK Saxophone Quartet program is a comprehensive and active course of study that provides a progressive performance experience in saxophone chamber music. The four quartets prepare and perform repertoire covering a variety of genres from classical transcriptions to contemporary works and jazz pieces. Under the direction of Lisa Osland, adjunct professor of saxophone, the premier UK Saxophone Quartet has been a two-time DownBeat Award-winner in the Classical Chamber Music category. They have also performed at the International Saxophone Symposium in Washington, D.C., and at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference.
The UK Saxophone Quartets will perform 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9. This concert is free and open to the public.
UK Combos
Directed by Raleigh Dailey, associate professor of jazz studies and piano, the UK Combos will take the stage next. This concert will begin 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12. This concert is free and open to the public.
UK Rep Band
Directed by Brad Kerns, assistant professor of trombone, the UK Repertory Jazz Band will close out the jazz performances for November. UK Rep Band will play 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14. This event is also free and open to the public.
14TH Jazzy Holiday Concert
In celebration of the season, the 14th annual Jazzy Holiday Concert will return this December. Directed by UK alumnus David Hummel, the Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors are the showcased performers for this concert.
The Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors (BAJA) are a popular performing ensemble affiliated with the Bluegrass Area Jazz Association, a nonprofit organization committed to the promotion of jazz education and the performance of jazz in the Bluegrass area. The group comprises musicians from the community, both professional and amateur, as well as students from UK Jazz Studies. The group regularly performs in many places including UK's Singletary Center, Ecton Park and other outdoor festivals, as well as with local middle and high school bands. This 23-piece big band, which came together in 2004, performs under the direction of Osland, who serves as artistic director.
The 14th Jazzy Holiday Concert will bring holiday cheer to audiences beginning 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12. Tickets for this concert are $9 for general admission and $4 for students. Free advance tickets are available for UK students with valid ID through the Singletary Center box office through Dec. 11.
To purchase tickets to either the UK Jazz Ensemble concert or the 14th annual Jazzy Holiday Concert, contact the Singletary Center box office by phone at 859-257-4929, online at www.scfatickets.com, or visit the venue in person. Fees will be applied upon completion of transaction.
The UK School of Music in the UK College of Fine Arts has garnered national recognition for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, music therapy, composition, and theory and music history.
