CLC Music Department presents five concerts in May
Five concerts, featuring both choral and instrumental music, will be presented by the College of Lake County Music department during May to cap off the 2014-15 season.
The CLC Music department boasts five instrumental groups: Monday Night Jazz Ensemble, Tuesday Night Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Concert Band and Jazz Combo. CLC's choral program includes four ensembles: the Choir of Lake County, the CLC Singers, the Chamber Singers and the Gospel Choir.
The Jazz Ensembles will perform May 1, Wind Ensemble on May 3, Jazz Combo on May 4, choirs on May 8 and Concert Band on May 13. Concerts will be presented at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts on the CLC Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Concerts will be held in the Mainstage Theatre unless noted.
Jazz Ensembles: Friday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. The Tuesday Night Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dave Hibbard, will play tunes that include "Begin the Beguine" by Cole Porter, "A Cool Shade of Blue" by Henry Mancini and "Sing, Sing, Sing" by Louis Prima/arranger. The Monday Night Jazz Ensemble, directed by Michael Flack, will perform big-band hits made famous by the orchestras of Les Brown, Stan Kenton, Glenn Miller, Buddy Rich and Woody Herman, including "Chicago" by Fred Fisher, a Stan Kenton "Hits" Medley, "In The Mood" by Joe Garland, "Woodchoppers' Ball" by Woody Herman and Joe Bishop and "Be Bop Charlie" by Bob Florence.
Wind Ensemble: Sunday, May 3 at 4 p.m. The 50-member Wind Ensemble, directed by Michael Flack, will present expressive works by Bach, Sousa and Tchaikovsky plus a Hollywood film medley. The program will include the following pieces: "Dances from the Oprichnik" by P.I. Tchaikovsky, "Komm, Susser Tod" (Come, Sweet Death) by J.S. Bach, "The Hounds of Spring: A Concert Overture for Winds" by Alfred Reed, "Fantasia for Band" by Vittorio Giannini and "The Free Lance March" by John Philip Sousa.
Jazz Combo: May 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Room P101. The combo, directed by Tim Barclay, will present a free concert that includes classic standards and contemporary arrangements. The combo members are: Sam Rivera, saxophone; Will Lukenbill, guitar; Tyler Klivickis, guitar; Jesse Herscher, bass; and Courtney McNally, drums.
Spring Choral: Friday, May 8 at 8 p.m. Over 100 singers from four choirs will perform gospel, classical and contemporary works. The Chamber Singers, directed by Ingrid Mikolajczyk, will sing a French language piece, "Six Chansons" by Paul Hindemith. The CLC Singers, directed by Jeffrey DeLay, will sing excerpts from "Requiem" by Gabriel Fauré, "Embraceable You" by George and Ira Gershwin; and "Campfire Song" by Jeremy Landig.
The Choir of Lake County, directed by Jeffrey DeLay, will perform "Unforgettable" by Irving Gordon, "Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor" by Irving Berlin and three pieces by John Rutter: "Seeds Grow to Plants" from Canticles of America, "O Clap Your Hands" and "Quoniam tu solus sanctus" from "Gloria" with accompanist Constance Vander Weele. The Gospel Choir, Charles Thomas Hayes, director, and Gayle Adkins-McDonald, assistant director and accompanist, will present "It's Gonna Rain," as performed by The Thompson Community Singers, "Everybody Clap Your Hands" by Joshua's Troop, "Ride the Chariot" and "Swing Down Chariot" by Roberta Martin.
The finale by the combined choirs will be "Battle Hymn of the Republic," arranged by Peter J. Wilhousky.
Concert Band: May 13 at 7:30 p.m. The 65 piece ensemble, directed by John Mose, will perform dramatic pieces by Holsinger and Ticheli plus selections from "My Fair Lady" and the Disney songbook.
During spring semester, the CLC choirs have made several community appearances and even performed in New York City's Carnegie Hall. On Feb. 16, four members of the Chamber Singers-Gayle Adkins-McDonald, Beth Allen, David Nieto, Sharon Price and the group's director, Ingrid Mikolajczyk-participated in a mass choir concert with Distinguished Concerts International New York at Carnegie Hall, performing "Exodus," an oratorio by Earnestine Rodgers Robinson.
The CLC Singers participated with several other area choruses in the March 8 Waukegan Choral Festival. On March 15, 33 members of the Choir of Lake County performed for residents of Lutheran Homes in Arlington Heights.
On May 24 at 7:30 p.m., 40 CLC choir members will participate in the Masterworks Festival Chorus with professional orchestra and soloists at renowned Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center, home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Under conductor Edith Copley, the chorus will present works by English composer John Rutter, including the three-movement cantata "Gloria," "Clap Your Hands" and "This is the Day." Tickets are available at www.cso.org.
For tickets, call the JLC Box Office at (847) 543-2300 or visit www.clcillinois.edu/tickets. To avoid long lines at the Box Office caused by last-minute sales, please purchase your tickets in advance or arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the performance. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 90 minutes prior to each performance.