As people get jazzed for the holidays, Central Methodist University offers a concert by the CMU Jazz Band to boost the mood. The concert will be Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in Linn Memorial United Methodist Church on the Fayette campus.
The concert is free and open to everyone.
Directors Dr. Ron Shroyer, adjunct professor of music and emeritus dean of the Conservatory, and Jo Ellen Shroyer, adjunct professor of music, will guide the Jazz Band through some new songs and some all-time favorites.
Included in the performance will be “When I Fall in Love,” arranged by Ron Shroyer; “Samba Con Gustavus” by Gary Carney; “Sax Alley Shuffle” by Dave Barduhn; “Nice n’ Easy” by Sammy Nestico; “Caravan” by Duke Ellington and arranged by Dave Wolpe; “Sweet Georgia Brown,” arranged by Nestico; “Alright, Okay, You Win,” arranged by Nestico; “My Funny Valentine,” arranged by Ron Shroyer: and “Hay Burner,” arranged by Nestico.
Soloists will encompass a number of jazz members, including Matthew Johnson (senior music education major from Pacific); Kevin Helmerichs (senior music education major from Lake Ozarks); Zach Kierstead (junior music major from Kirkwood); Josh Miller (senior music education major from Waynesville); Josh Stettes (sophomore music education major from Pacific); Libby Cueni-Smith (freshman music education major from Chillicothe); and others.
The Jazz Band is comprised of Johnson on alto saxophone; Curtis Lierheimer (senior music education major from Mexico) on alto saxophone; Stettes on tenor saxophone; Nicholas Vick (freshman music education major from Columbia) on tenor saxophone; Miller on baritone saxophone;
Michael Brown (freshman music education major from O’Fallon) on trumpet; Bryan Berliner (sophomore music education major from Hermann) on trumpet; Cueni-Smith on trumpet; Alex Autry (freshman music education major from Norborne) on trumpet;
Helmerichs on trombone; Michael Arnold (junior music education major from Marceline) on trombone; Kierstead on piano; Spencer Dry (freshman music major from Benton City) on guitar; alumnus Ted Spayde of Fayette (Class of ’70) on bass; and Brendan Wiesehan (junior music education major from Villa Ridge) on drums.
