Big Band Gala performance
BRATTLEBORO- On Friday, December 7, at 8 pm, the Vermont Jazz Center will present its 16th annual Big Band Gala performance. The VJC Big Band, under the leadership of musical director Rob Freeberg, is a community orchestra made up of professional musicians who come together to raise money for the VJC Scholarship Fund.
This year’s gala will feature the music made famous by the legendary clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw. The VJC will supplement its 16-piece big band with four affiliates of the renowned Artie Shaw Orchestra. Together they will perform an evening of dance music using original arrangements that helped the Artie Shaw Orchestra surge to stardom in the 1930s.
The three current members of the Artie Shaw Orchestra who will perform with the VJC Big Band are vocalist Sarah Hayes, ASO music director and clarinetist Matt Koza, and trumpeter Kerry MacKillop. Former orchestra member John Wheeler (and current trombonist for the VJC Big Band) will be showcased as a soloist.
Admission includes a delicious and complimentary dessert and snack buffet. Tickets are on a sliding scale from $25 to $45 for general admission without reserved seating or $30 to $50 for reservations that include reserved seating.
For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.vtjazz.org. and by email at ginger@vtjazz.org. Handicapped access is available by calling (802) 254-9088.
