FSU Jazz Band – Fall Concert: Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. in Williams Auditorium. Free admission.
According to Matt Moresi, the FSU Jazz Band director, a jazz band is closely related to the stage bands of the ‘20s and ‘40s, which played swing music for people to dance to. The modern version continues that style, but plays a more diverse set of musical styles.
According to Devin Vargo, a Ferris music industry management sophomore and FSU Jazz Band guitar player, the band has been preparing for the fall concert since the beginning of the semester and the audience should expect to hear a lot of well-played music.
The fall concert will feature the music of iconic piano player and jazz composer Thelonious Monk. The styles of the music will be swing, rock, funk and Latin.
“We do more improvisation than most bands on campus, which means we get to play stuff off the top of our heads and do solos,” said Vargo. “We just have to play it in the same key as the song.”
According to Moresi, besides learning technically challenging individual parts, the band has to make them all fit together.
“A lot of the members returned from last year, so we are comfortable with each other as a group and have found our sound and way of playing things,” said Vargo. “We really hope that we get a great turn out from the audience because it will be a good show.”
FSU West Central Concert Band – 13th Annual Veterans Day Concert: Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. in Williams Auditorium. Free admission.
The FSU West Central Concert Band (WCCB) will perform their 13th annual Veterans Day Concert this weekend. The band consists of 70 woodwind, brass and percussion players and is a mix of Ferris students and community members.
The WCCB is sponsored by Ferris State University as part of its “Music for Life!” program and presents a series of varied and diverse concerts throughout the concert season.
According to Scott Cohen, the director of the band, this concert will celebrate the vital role that our veterans and active military personnel have provided and continue to provide for our nation.
FSU Symphony Band – Fall Concert: Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. at Williams Auditorium. Free admission.
The Ferris Symphony band consists of 70 woodwind, brass and percussion players and is primarily made up of Ferris students and a few community members.
This concert is a fun mix of very contrasting genres, including film music from Westerns, a world famous circus march, a beautiful lullaby, electronica, a Spanish style march composed by Scott Cohen and a collection of brand new pieces composed this summer based on the Ferris’ Fight and Alma Mater songs.
FSU West Central Concert Band – Fall Orchestra Concert: Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. in Williams Auditorium. Free admission.
This orchestra is composed of only string instruments and according to Scott Cohen, the orchestra’s director, there are 24 string players who play the violin, viola, cello or the string bass.
This concert will have a variety of pieces from classics by Mozart, Bach, music from England, Italy, France and modern American pieces.
“Something the audience should expect to hear are pieces that were composed by a member of the orchestra,” said Ferris radiography sophomore Brandi Brandt, who is a member of the orchestra. “Marshall Williams is a member and composed original pieces over the summer.”
Williams is a retired Ferris professor and during the fall concert the orchestra will premiere his original piece, “Serenade for Strings.”