Jazz Band to kick off Italy trip with May 9 concert
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue Summer Jazz Band will kick off Purdue Bands' first study abroad venture with a concert from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday (May 9). The Bon Voyage concert will take place at Slayter Center of Performing Arts at Stadium Avenue and Martin Jischke Drive. The event is free and open to the public.
(Media-Newswire.com) - WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue Summer Jazz Band will kick off Purdue Bands' first study abroad venture with a concert from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday ( May 9 ). The Bon Voyage concert will take place at Slayter Center of Performing Arts at Stadium Avenue and Martin Jischke Drive. The event is free and open to the public.
Director of jazz studies M.T. "Mo" Trout is taking the band to Italy to study the jazz and culture of Europe and perform in various cities May 11-26.
"For the concert and tour, the Summer Jazz Band's repertoire is a compilation of some of my favorite pieces from concerts performed throughout the year by the Purdue Jazz Band and American Music Repertory Ensemble," he said.
The list ranges from songs made famous by Count Basie and Duke Ellington to the contemporary arrangements of Bob Florence. Some of the tunes include "The Queen Bee" as recorded by Count Basie, "String of Pearls" and "Misty" as recorded by Stan Kenton, Duke Ellington's "Jack the Bear," Paul and Linda McCartney's "Live and Let Die" and Harold Arlen "It's Only a Paper Moon."
Twenty-two students auditioned and were chosen to participate in the summer band that is traveling through Purdue's Study Abroad program.
"The course gives students the opportunity to experience how America's music is received and performed in Italy," Trout said. "It will make the students stronger culturally and musically, and the tour will encourage positive interaction among Purdue students and the people of Italy."
The group will be visiting the Italian cities of Rome, Perugia, Florence, Sienna, Venice, Verona and Milan.
Trout said Purdue Bands & Orchestra administrators hope to have a three-year Study Abroad rotation involving the jazz bands, symphony orchestra and symphonic band.
Purdue Bands has a long history of traveling to perform for audiences around the world. In addition to bowl games, student musicians have performed on cruises and in such places as South America, Europe, Japan, Iceland and Canada. The first university band to play at Radio City Music Hall in New York City also came from Purdue.
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