COD Students Hit the Stage

It is the time of year when the talented students of the College of DuPage and the future of the arts in our community begin taking the stage. This Thursday, Oct 15 the combined student music concert features small jazz ensembles, the percussion ensemble, chamber singers, concert choir, and the chamber orchestra. The concert is at 7:30 on the Mainstage.

Theatre students bring Bram Stoker's classic Dracula to life in the Studio Theatre. The tale of Lucy, van Helsing and the Count opens Friday, Oct 16 and runs through Nov 1. Check out the MAC's Facebook page where we'll post photos from the production directed by Professor Amelia Barrett.

be well

Stephen

Kind of Blue

When you talk about the best jazz albums of all time no matter who you are talking to or which list you're consulting Miles Davis's Kind of Blue will be somewhere near the top. It is a seminal work and one of my favorites from that era along with Coltrane's Love Supreme and Favorite Things, and Brubeck's Time Out. Why was does Kind of Blue still resonate? On the 50th anniversary of Kind of Blue Fred Kaplan wrote a great article for Slate magazine on just that topic. Kind of Blue: Why the best-selling jazz album of all time is so great - check it out. http://www.slate.com/id/2225336/

You should also check out Jimmy Cobb's So What Band at the MAC on Friday, Oct 16 - 8PM. Cobb was the drummer in Mile's band that laid down Kind of Blue in 1959. Trumpeter Wallace Roney and the rest of the band under Jimmy will celebrate the "greatest jazz album ever" and play much of the album along with other great jazz compositions. Professor of music and local jazz trumpeter Tom Tallman will give a little history of the album and the man at the MAC Chat preceding the concert. Sure to be a special night.

be well
Stephen

Chicago Tonight Features Muspratt and Roman

WTTW Channel 11's Chicago Tonight will feature Maestro Kirk Muspratt and cellist Joshua Roman tonight, Wednesday, Oct 7 at 7PM. It will be a fantastic opportunity to get a preview of the amazing talent who will perform Shostakovich's Cello Concerto no. 1 with the New Philharmonic this Friday and Saturday evening at the MAC. The 25 year old phenom has received many accolades most recently being named Musical America's artist of the month for August. Tune in.

be well
Stephen

Corrido Project/ Sones de Mexico

This Sunday the MAC will host Sones de Mexico, a wonderful Grammy nominated traditional Mexican folk ensemble from Chicago. The 3PM concert will be authentic and musically engaging; however, the truly exciting music has been happening out in West Chicago.

Last winter Sones member and ethnomusicologist Juan Diez provided an artist residency at West Chicago schools teaching students about Corridos - a traditional Mexican folk song which celebrates a tragic event or hero. The students embraced Juan and the tradition; by the spring each participant had composed their own corrido. Next, the students worked with Javier Chavira creating a print to illustrate each story. Juan concluded the residency with a performance at an after school assembly and presenting each student with a recording and print of their work.

The project which was generously funded by the DuPage Community Foundation was enormously fun and culminated this week with Juan teaching a group of West Chicago teachers how they could replicate song writing project in their own classrooms. I thank Juan, Javier, and Janey Sarther the MAC's Education and Community Engagement Coordinator for engaging the kids of DuPage County.

The kids work will be displayed in the MAC lobby during the Sones de Mexico concert and Juan will perform a couple of the Corridos at the beginning of the performance - Sunday, Oct 4 - 3PM.

be well
Stephen