June Jazz to feature Roberta Gambarini and Byron Stripling with the Elmhurst U. Jazz Band
Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Roberta Gambarini and acclaimed trumpeter Byron Stripling, performing with the renowned Elmhurst University Jazz Band, will headline Elmhurst University's 26th annual June Jazz concert on Saturday, June 19.
The public is invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets, drinks and a picnic to this free outdoor concert, at 6:30 p.m. on the Mall of Elmhurst University's lovely arboretum campus.
Socially distanced seating will be encouraged. Guests are welcome to come early and enjoy this celebration of summer and the arts.
More about the performers:
• Described as a dynamic entertainer with virtuosic vocal chops, Roberta Gambarini has performed with Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Hank Jones, Christian McBride, Russell Malone and many others. Born in Torino, Italy, Gambarini has performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and Walt Disney Concert Hall, as well as at international jazz festivals. Her albums, "Easy to Love" and "So in Love," were nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
• Byron Stripling earned his stripes as lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra. He has played and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry and Louis Bellson, in addition to The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and The GRP All Star Big Band. Currently, Stripling is artistic director and conductor of the highly acclaimed Columbus Jazz Orchestra.
• Under the direction of Grammy Award winner Doug Beach, the Elmhurst University Jazz Band has performed around the world and has appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Umbria Jazz Festival and many others. DownBeat magazine, the nation's leading jazz publication, recently named the Elmhurst University Jazz Band the Student Music Award winner in the Large Jazz Ensemble category for undergraduate institutions.
For questions, email barbv@elmhurst.edu or call (630) 617-3611. This event is presented by Elmhurst University and PNC Bank.
On Wednesday, June 30, the Elmhurst University Summer Band will present "Patriotic Pageant," the perfect way to start get into the spirit of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The concert features a program of patriotic favorites, including music from movies and Broadway musicals, the music of American composers Leonard Bernstein, George M. Cohan and George Gershwin, and rousing Sousa marches. Christopher O'Hara, professor of trumpet at Elmhurst University, will be the guest artist. The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Gates of Knowledge on campus, 190 Prospect Ave. The rain site is Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel. Parking is available on campus or across the street at the Wilder Mansion.
Elmhurst University is a leading four-year institution of higher education that seamlessly blends liberal learning and professional preparation to help students reach their full potential. Founded in 1871, Elmhurst now offers more than 70 undergraduate programs of study, more than 20 graduate and certificate programs in flexible formats, and the Elmhurst Learning and Success Academy for young adults with differing abilities. Elmhurst University, formerly Elmhurst College, is among the top-ranked colleges and universities in the Midwest, according to U.S. News & World Report.