Jazz Ensemble Enjoys the ‘Lush Life’ with Ellington and Strayhorn
The program will feature favorite charts such as “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Concerto for Cootie,” “The Deep South Suite” and “Chelsea Bridge.”
Under the direction of faculty member Craig Fraedrich, the Shenandoah Conservatory Jazz Ensemble will present a concert of the music of composer/pianist/arranger Billy Strayhorn and legendary bandleader Duke Ellington. The program will feature favorite charts such as “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Concerto for Cootie,” “The Deep South Suite” and “Chelsea Bridge.”
Strayhorn is best known for his three-decade collaboration with Ellington, who liked to joke onstage that “Strayhorn does a lot of the work but I get to take the bows!” Strayhorn’s compositions such as “Lush Life,” “Take the ‘A’ Train,” and countless others largely comprised the repertoire of Ellington’s big bands. Strayhorn reflected on the beginning of his collaboration with Ellington by sharing, “Something inside me changed when I saw Ellington onstage – like I hadn’t been living life until then.” The work of this exceptional duo will be the basis for the jazz ensemble’s program.
Shenandoah Conservatory Jazz Ensemble will present Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 at 8 p.m. in Armstrong Concert Hall on the campus of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $5 for students and active military. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Shenandoah University Box Office at 540-665-4569 or visit www.conservatoryperforms.org. Group discounts are available for groups of 20 or more.
Media Information
- High-resolution photography, including artist headshots and a selection of production images, are available upon request. Full artist biographies are also available upon request.
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