4/21/2003 

Contact: K.E. Schwab  -- 724-738-2199;  e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu

REPUTATION GROWING –

SRU JAZZ ENSEMBLE PICKED TO PLAY AT PITTSBURGH’S FOSTERSALSO PLANS SRU, NEW BRIGHTON CONCERTS

           SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 18-member “Big Band” sound of Slippery Rock University’s Jazz Ensemble has been added to the Pittsburgh Jazz Society’s “Sunday Night Party at Fosters” rotation and has been selected to back up lead alto saxophonist Karolina Strassmeyer of the all-female band “Diva” at the upcoming Beaver County Jazz Association’s spring concert in New Brighton.

          In addition, the ensemble, directed by Stephen Hawk, associate professor of music, will offer a free, joint concert at 8 p.m. April 29 in SRU’s Miller Auditorium with the SRU Jazz Band, directed by Dr. David Glover, assistant professor of music. The jazz band will open the concert.

          The 18-piece jazz ensemble will offer a number of jazz standards as part of the on-campus and off-campus concerts.

          In explaining the opportunity to play from 7 to 11 p.m., Sunday [April 27] at the Pittsburgh Jazz Society party at Fosters located in the Holiday Inn at Oakland, Hawk says, “This selection came after a lot of hard work by the band, which has been playing at a number of jazz festivals across Pennsylvania. The extensive touring has given band members a real professional-musician experience and also provided the chance for others to hear us. Our reputation has been growing. Tony Mowad, founder of the Pittsburgh Jazz Society and host for “The Night Side” heard on WQED, asked us to join the Foster’s rotation, and we will play once each semester.”

          Hawk says the ensemble’s public concerts at festivals at Thomas Jefferson High School in the South Hills, at Sharpsville High School, as well as Seneca Valley High, and Pittsburgh schools in Hempfield, Latrobe, South Allegheny and Mt. Pleasant have provided a substantial boost the program.

          The ensemble’s Sunday performance will see the group joined by the SRU Faculty Quintet, including Terry Steele, associate professor of music on sax, Jeff Mangione, music instructor on bass, Steve Snyder, instructor in SRU’s  Summer Music Academy on piano, Glover on percussion, and Hawk on trumpet.

          At 7:30 p.m. May 2 the band will participate in the Beaver County program at New Brighton High School to conclude a day-long jazz festival expected to draw 20 high school jazz bands for competition.

          In a related note, Hawk will also conduct the 45-member SRU Symphonic Wind Ensemble at 8 p.m. Friday [April 25] in Swope Music Hall. The concert, which is titled “From Wagner to Bernstein,” is free.

PN, PgN, WPN, PR