Ah, November: the lead-up to winter, Remembrance Day, post-midterm hangovers-all these thoughts come to mind thinking of this cruel month. U of T’s Jazz program has come up with a way for students to beat those November blues. Coming up on November 26 & 28, all of the Faculty’s Jazz ensembles (from intimate combos, to larger orchestras) will be performing at Walter Hall at the Faculty of Music.
The Jazz program is a dynamic body of students and teachers that are blending idioms and rhythms. The group has spawned 13 small ensembles, two jazz orchestras, and a vocal ensemble, creating a formidable array of talent and variety.
Every ensemble has a body of experienced faculty guiding them-the student-teacher ratio of the program is very low. Performance is a focus for the department, which is sensitive to providing the students with opportunities for high-quality expression and presentation. Other studies in Jazz include theory, arranging and orchestration, and composition.
The upcoming concerts are an exhibition of the variety of sounds coming out of the department. There is no set program for the night-the ensembles will play repertoire that works with the given time. There will be considerably more performer-audience engagement, which is a key point of these concerts-the student performers hope to bring their music to their peers on campus, from jazz aficionados to total newbies alike.
Directors Terry Promane, Paul Read, and Suba Sankaran plan to talk about the various pieces of music being played, since the program will be improvised. Characteristic of the genre, improvisation will be at the fore, as many soloists will be featured from among the various performers. In any case, the audience can expect a broad range of pieces, from popular jazz to more modern 20th-century styles.
Jazz lovers at or near U of T may have also heard these students play at one time or another, as they often perform at Hart House and popular Queen West jazz haunt the Rex. But showcasing what they’ve learned in their program right here on campus is exciting for the performers-these concerts are traditionally a main feature of the Jazz program, and this year is no exception, with all the Jazz students feverishly preparing (as best they can for the off-the-cuff show) for the event.
The jazz orchestras perform November 26, and on November 28 the small ensembles and the jazz choir are featured. Both concerts are at Walter Hall (80 Queen’s Park) at 8 p.m. Tickets ($7 for students) are available at the Faculty of Music box office.
