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WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra - Showtime at Carnegie May 30

May 28, 2010

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MACOMB, IL - - Their hearts are no doubt jumping and jiving like the jazz they are known to play, as they are on their way today (May 28) to New York City to perform in concert.

The Western Illinois University premier jazz ensemble, the Jazz Studio Orchestra (JSO), under the direction of John Cooper, director of jazz studies, is booked at one of the world's greatest concert halls – Carnegie Hall – at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 30.

JSO is the guest of internationally known "Italian Big Band" musicians: composer and conductor Marco Renzi and clarinetist Bepi D'Amato. Both musicians served as artists in-residence in April 2009 for the School of Music Jazz Studies program at Western, giving lectures and master classes, as well as conducting and performing in a combined WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra (JSO) and Jazz Band concert.

When Renzi and D'Amato were scheduled in Fall 2009 to play at Carnegie Hall this spring, they asked a concert promoter to contact Michael Stryker, Western's assistant professor of jazz piano and director of the WIU Jazz Band, who had arranged their residency last year, Cooper said.

"Maestros Renzi and D'Amato wanted to work with us again based on the wonderful performance that they gave in Macomb with the JSO and Jazz Band," Cooper added. "The trip was initially proposed and funded by the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) and the Department of Music. However, because the University, like all universities statewide, is experiencing a difficult budget crisis, the trip was canceled. When the students received the news, Jerry and LaNae Reyburn, parents of JSO student Andrew Reyburn (junior, Geneseo, IL), decided to become involved and committed a sizeable donation that has been matched by the IBM Corporation. This put the trip within reach."

In addition to the Reyburns' support, the students have done some fundraising on their own; local groups, such as the Macomb Country Club, have hosted fundraisers; and up to 40 participants will be joining the JSO on their trip. Two of those participants, of course, will be Jerry and LaNae.

Find out what the JSO is doing during the New York trip via the "Jazz blog" www.wiu.edu/jazz/blog.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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