MOUNT VERNON — Fall concerts at Cornell College will feature the Orchestra and Wind Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, in King Chapel, and two jazz groups at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, in Ringer Recital Studio of Armstrong Hall. Admission is free to both.
The Orchestra’s selections include Alfred Reed’s “A Festival Prelude”; Aaron Copland’s “John Henry,” setting to music the legend of the strongman with a hammer and stake who challenged a steam drill to cut through a mountainside; and Ambroise Thomas’ operatic overture to “Raymond.”
The Wind Ensemble’s program includes Minnesota composer Arne Running’s “Chorale and Capriccio for Band,” plus two Percy Grainger folk songs. “Ye Banks and Braes 0’ Bonnie Doon” is a slow, sustained Scottish folk tune, while “Australian Up-Country Tune” attempts to capture Australian up-country feeling as Stephen Foster did with American countryside feelings in his songs.
The jazz concert’s big band pieces by the Jazz Ensemble will include Sammy Nestico arrangements of Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It” and Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the A-Train,” plus a lively update on the Louis Armstrong tune “Struttin’ With Some Barbeque.”
The Jazz Combo will perform Sonny Rollins’ calypso-inspired “ St. Thomas,” Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints,” the Benny Golson standard of standards, “Killer Joe,” and the perennial bebop favorite by Dizzy Gillespie, “Good Bait.”
The Orchestra and Wind Ensemble are directed by Martin Hearne. The jazz ensembles are directed by Don Chamberlain.
