IWU Jazz Groups to Perform in Concert

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan University’s Jazz Ensemble, vocal jazz ensemble Unlicensed Syncopation and Vocal Jazz Lab Ensemble will perform in concert on Friday, Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Westbrook Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public.

Directed by Visiting Head of Music Education and Director of Vocal Jazz Ensembles John Hamilton and Adjunct Instructor in the School of Music Glenn Wilson, the jazz groups will play well-known selections such as “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman and “For Once in My Life” by Stevie Wonder. The lineup will also include big band charts by Thad Jones, Gerry Mulligan, Charles Mingus and others.

Open to any IWU student, the Vocal Jazz Lab Ensemble helps students with limited experience build their abilities in sight-singing, jazz style and improvisation. For students interested in auditioning for a more rigorous program, Unlicensed Syncopation also provides the opportunity to practice and perform contemporary pieces at least one concert per semester, with additional performances at vocal jazz festivals both inside and outside of Illinois.

Illinois Wesleyan’s Jazz Ensemble program, open to all majors, offers a unique opportunity to grow as a musician and gain valuable experience performing jazz on-campus, around the world and even internationally.

For additional information, please contact the School of Music at (309) 556-3061.

By Rachel McCarthy ’21