The Jazz Ensemble and Concert Band at Sinclair Community College performs two to three concerts each year, which can feature guest artists from around the world.
Jazz Ensemble
The concert on Nov. 22 will feature artist and composer Mark Buselli, the education director of Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra in Indianapolis.
Bruce Jordan, director of the Ensemble and adjunct faculty of the Music department said that the Ensemble is a group of five saxophone, four trombones, four trumpets and a rhythm section with piano, bass and drums.
There are a total of 16 individuals in the Ensemble this year, which includes Sinclair students and community members. The Ensemble will perform 10 pieces at the concert.
Among the jazz styles in the concert are funk, bepop, swing and cool.
“There’s different style periods in jazz and we always try to put a program together that includes a variety of styles,” Jordan said. “I enjoy musical challenges, so I try to give my band an experience in concerts where they are not overly challenged, but challenged.”
Along with students and community members in the Ensemble, is featured artist Mark Buselli.
“He’s not only a world renowned jazz musician and trumpet player, but he’s a really good composer,” Jordan said.
Buselli is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. and received his masters degree in Jazz Studies from Ball State University, according to Jordan.
Jordan said that for the Ensemble, Buselli arranged and composed most of the pieces.
“He’s one of the finest composers and arrangers and performers in the nation,” Jordan said. “We’re just so honored to have him as a guest.”
Jordan said he is grateful for the opportunity Sinclair has given him and looks forward to the Ensemble performances every year.
“Sinclair has supported guest artists like Mark Buselli to perform with the group for many years,” he said. “And the neat thing about that is it’s a bigger draw for your students and your audience.”
Jordan also said that the experience a student can get from being in the Ensemble is important for future growth.
“If a student is in the group, and they have the skill level to be in the group, then they are getting that experience which in invaluable,” he said. “It gets somewhat better each year.”
Jordan likes when the audience reacts to what is being played on stage.
“Honestly the thing I like best is the audience reaction when you’re on stage,” he said. “If you are a performer like I am, there’s nothing as great as the audience reaction to your performance onstage — it’s something performers live for.”
The Jazz Ensemble concert will be held Friday, Nov. 22 in Blair Hall Theatre in Building 2 at 8 p.m.
Jordan said the concert is expected to last about an hour and a half and is free of charge.
Concert Band Concert
On Nov. 25, the Concert Band will play in Blair Hall Theatre at 7:30 p.m. where classical, transcription and holiday music will be performed.
“The concert band is our community concert band at Sinclair,” Kenneth Kohlenberg, Music professor and conductor said. “We give two to three concerts every semester.”
The concert is the second the band has performed this semester.
Kohlenberg said the Concert Band has 65 to 70 members, which includes about 20 Sinclair students and 40 community members.
“The community members are people who work or live around Dayton and have played instruments when they were in high school and continued through college,” he said. “Now they are either working or retired and come to Sinclair to play music.”
Kohlenberg said that the Concert Band will play nine separate pieces and will last about an hour and a half.
“The band pieces are classical music type pieces,” Kohlenberg said. “Some of the pieces we’re playing were originally written for orchestra and we are playing what’s called a transcription, so it’s re-written for Concert Band.”
Kohlenberg said that more often than not, members of the Concert Band have played for their high school bands at some point, and members have to have their own instruments to be a part, with the exception of percussionists.
Kohlenberg said this year, the band is a larger than previously because they have more students involved.
“That always makes it more exciting for me — when more Sinclair students participate,” he said.
Kohlenberg said one of the motivating factors for him is seeing everyone come together at the beginning of the school year and be able to perform successfully during a concert.
“We meet once a week on Monday evening and every week, things get better and better until we present them at the concert,” he said.
Kohlenberg said that some of the goals of the Concert Band are to learn from each other every week, and to look forward to the ultimate goal of being able to share what they have learned with the public.
The Concert Band Concert will be in Blair Hall Theatre in Building 2 and is open to the public. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
Ellesse Rodriguez
Reporter