Illinois Valley Community College is showcasing musical talent with two concerts scheduled in early March 2025. On March 4th, the jazz ensemble will take the stage at the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre, offering an evening of tunes from the likes of Herb Alpert and Chuck Mangione. Two days later, on March 6th, the wind ensemble will fill the air with compositions by John Philip Sousa and Julie Giroux. Both concerts begin at 7 PM and are open to the public with no admission fee, offering a delightful opportunity to enjoy live music and support local arts.
The Jazz Ensemble will perform works by Herb Alpert, Chuck Mangione, and Gordon Goodwin, including “Tijuana Taxi,” “Little Prince,” and “The Jazz Police.” Other selections include “The Old Piano Roll Blues,” “Zoot Suit Riot,” and an arrangement from the film “Chariots of Fire.”
The Wind Ensemble will perform arrangements by Randall Standridge, Alfred Reed, John Philip Sousa, Modest Moussorgsky, and Julie Giroux. Selections include “Ascension,” “El Camino Real,” “On the Campus,” “Pictures at an Exhibition (Baba Yaga and the Great Gate of Kiev),” and “Under the Willow.”
The Jazz Ensemble is under the direction of Brandon Czubachowski, and the Wind Ensemble is under the direction of Phil Whaley.