June 30, 2009
Marshall Jazz Ensemble Leaves for Europe July 4
Will Perform at Festivals in Switzerland, France
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Nineteen members of the Marshall University Jazz Ensemble will leave Saturday, July 4 to appear at two European jazz festivals. The group will perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Jazz à Juan Festival in France before returning to the United States July 13.
“The members of the current ensemble are part of the best jazz group at Marshall in recent memory,” said Dr. Ed Bingham, director of jazz studies at Marshall, who directs the group. “In the spring of 2008, the MUJE prepared a recording to submit to the Montreux Jazz Festival and to the Jazz à Juan Festival. We received word that we had been accepted to appear there last fall. The ‘die was cast’ and the work began.”
Last fall semester, auditions were held with the understanding that those selected would be committed to this effort for the entire year—not just for the semester. The students were expected to do part of the fund raising necessary to mount this project and to “step up” their level of preparation and performance. In addition, Bingham said, assistance from Marshall faculty and staff in the College of Fine Arts and financial resources provided by the Joan C. Edwards jazz endowment helped make the trip a reality.
An opportunity such as this comes along only once in a lifetime for most students and is important for a number of reasons, Bingham said. “First, it recognizes the talents and accomplishments of our students. They are being featured in two internationally recognized venues and are now ready for the challenge. Second, the opportunity to experience the cultures and environments of Switzerland, Italy and France, while valuable in itself, affirms one of the central components of the curriculum at Marshall: Internationalism. Third, performing at these festivals gives credibility to the quality of Marshall’s Jazz Studies program.”
Members of the 2009 Marshall University Jazz Ensemble and their home towns are:
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Marshall Jazz Ensemble Leaves for Europe July 4
Will Perform at Festivals in Switzerland, France
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Nineteen members of the Marshall University Jazz Ensemble will leave Saturday, July 4 to appear at two European jazz festivals. The group will perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Jazz à Juan Festival in France before returning to the United States July 13.
“The members of the current ensemble are part of the best jazz group at Marshall in recent memory,” said Dr. Ed Bingham, director of jazz studies at Marshall, who directs the group. “In the spring of 2008, the MUJE prepared a recording to submit to the Montreux Jazz Festival and to the Jazz à Juan Festival. We received word that we had been accepted to appear there last fall. The ‘die was cast’ and the work began.”
Last fall semester, auditions were held with the understanding that those selected would be committed to this effort for the entire year—not just for the semester. The students were expected to do part of the fund raising necessary to mount this project and to “step up” their level of preparation and performance. In addition, Bingham said, assistance from Marshall faculty and staff in the College of Fine Arts and financial resources provided by the Joan C. Edwards jazz endowment helped make the trip a reality.
An opportunity such as this comes along only once in a lifetime for most students and is important for a number of reasons, Bingham said. “First, it recognizes the talents and accomplishments of our students. They are being featured in two internationally recognized venues and are now ready for the challenge. Second, the opportunity to experience the cultures and environments of Switzerland, Italy and France, while valuable in itself, affirms one of the central components of the curriculum at Marshall: Internationalism. Third, performing at these festivals gives credibility to the quality of Marshall’s Jazz Studies program.”
Members of the 2009 Marshall University Jazz Ensemble and their home towns are:
- Jimmy Lykens - Eunice, W.Va.
- Sean Coughlin - Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
- Jason Mitchell - Forest Hill, W.Va.
- Chris Clark - Charleston, W.Va.
- David Hamilton - Culloden, W.Va.
- Luke Miller- Meadow Bridge, W.Va.
- Daniel Ellis - San Angelo, Texas
- Katie Ferber - Bridgeport, W.Va.
- Austin Seybert - Bridgeport, W.Va.
- John Galloway - Kenova, W.Va.
- Isaac Winland - Sistersville, W.Va.
- Angela Crum - Union, W.Va.
- Dylan Elder - Barboursville, W.Va.
- Briana Blankenship - Grantsville, W.Va.
- Johnathan Wright - Houston, TX
- Rodney Elkins - Salt Rock, W.Va.
- Nicole McComas - Hamlin, W.Va.
- Wes Hager - Teays Valley, W.Va.
- Esin Gunduz - Istanbul, Turkey
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