College of DuPage to host 4 student music group performances in May

The McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage will host several virtual concerts featuring students and community members in May. Tickets to each of these events are $7.

For more information, call the MAC Box Office at (630) 942-4000, or visit atthemac.org.

• On Thursday, May 6, the DuPage Community Jazz Ensemble, featuring guest trumpeter Jens Lindemann, will perform at 7:30 p.m.

The band's performance keeps alive the traditional big band sound with updated arrangements by jazz greats including Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson and George Gershwin. In addition to Lindemann, the performance features saxophonist, pianist and vocalist Matt Catingub, pianist Inna Faliks and drummer Steve Moretti, as well as the ensemble artists-in-residence Roy McGrath, Luke Malewicz, Dave Katz and Chris Seibold.

• On Friday, May 7, the College of DuPage Jazz/Pop Combos will perform at 7:30 p.m. Led by Director Matt Shevitz, the performances will feature a diverse range of music by artists including Herbie Hancock, Eddie Harris, Sam Cooke, the Monophonics, T-Square and Horace Silver. Each arrangement allows the students room for improvisation.

• On Tuesday, May 11, the COD Chamber Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. Under the direction of Philip Bauman, the orchestra consists of student and community members from high school to adult and performs both traditional literature for small orchestra/chamber music from the 1600s through the 20th century, as well as less traditional chamber orchestra styles including jazz, contemporary classical, theater and film music.

• On Thursday, May 13, the COD Chamber Singers will perform at 7:30 p.m. Directed by Lee Kesselman, the ensemble performs music ranging from Renaissance madrigal and motets to music of the 20th century and music from a wide range of cultures.

The Music program at College of DuPage offers the first two years of a baccalaureate music degree program, including coursework in theory and ear training, and a sequence of four class piano courses designed for non-pianists. The program offers associate degrees in music and music business and a certificate in audio production, as well as private lessons in voice, piano, guitar, percussion, and all band and orchestra instruments. Performing groups are open to all students regardless of major, and include Concert Choir, Jazz Choir, Chamber Singers, Community Jazz Ensemble, DuPage Chorale, DuPage Community Band, Chamber Orchestra, Small Group Jazz, Percussion Ensemble and Guitar Ensemble.