Featuring material from musical icons Taylor Swift and Prince as well as jazz legends such as Duke Ellington, the Utah Tech University Jazz Ensemble is set to present a variety of styles at its first concert of the semester.
The concert, which will highlight the jazz ideals of imitation and innovation, will also feature international artists Corey Hart and George Harrison. The concert is set to take place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 29 in the Concert Hall of Utah Tech’s Eccles Fine Arts Center. General admission tickets are $8.50 and available at utahtech.evenue.net/events/UTJAZZ or at the door.
“Jazz musicians have used popular music during its whole history,” Dr. Glenn Webb, who leads the ensemble, said. “The tradition faded during the late 20th century but we’re bringing it back like a 90s trend. Not all music lends itself to adaptation, but I expect these songs to have a great impact on the audience.”
Specific numbers the student ensemble will highlight include Swift’s “Cardigan” and “Don’t Blame Me,” Prince’s “Kiss” and Ellington’s “Caravan.”
“I’m excited for this concert because there’s such a wide variety of tunes that we can all enjoy music together,” Megan Buck, a music education major at Utah Tech, said.
The Jazz Ensemble epitomizes Utah Tech’s commitment to hands-on learning by exposing students to various styles of music including swing, Latin, rock and ballads through the medium of big band. Through practicing and performing, students study sight reading, improvisation and performance. The ensemble will perform again on April 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Eccles Concert Hall.
“The community benefits from jazz performances on our campus,” Webb said. “It’s a connection to a joy of life. Our campus helps build the quality of life for our region.”
The ensemble is a class in Utah Tech’s Music Department, which teaches students through profound musical experiences, challenges students and audiences to think deeply about music and its role in society and offers the community performances to attend. For more information about Utah Tech’s Music Department, visit music.utahtech.edu.