Gold Company offers preview of California concerts
Dec. 24, 2001
KALAMAZOO -- WMU's internationally acclaimed vocal jazz ensemble Gold Company will present a "Preview Concert" on Monday, Jan. 7, beginning at 8 p.m. in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.
Gold Company has been invited to make two featured performances, Jan. 10-11, at the 2002 International Association for Jazz Education Conference in Long Beach, Calif. At thier Jan. 7 Preview Concert in Kalamazoo, the ensemble will perform the same set of music prepared for the California performances.
General admission tickets for the Preview Concert will be available at the door for $10 each. Students and senior citizens will be charged $5. Proceeds from ticket sales defray the cost of sending the ensemble to California.
The International Association for Jazz Education Conference annually attracts thousands of professional musicians, professors, teachers and students from the world of jazz. The first Gold Company performance will be during the conference's opening concert on Thursday, Jan. 10. Other performances at the opening concert include Bob Florence Limited Edition Big Band and Greg Osby. Gold Company's other conference concert will feature the group in a solo performance on Friday, Jan. 11.
Gold Company director Dr. Stephen Zegree is thrilled with the opportunity to perform at the international conference. Says Zegree, "The Thursday night concert is quite an honor as the evening performances at the conference are usually reserved for professional groups. Other artists scheduled to perform at night are Dave Brubeck, Gary Burton, and the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band. The students and I are excited to receive the invitation and look forward to representing Western Michigan University at this prestigious event."
Other upcoming performances for Gold Company include the annual "Miller Show" on Saturday, Feb. 16, which will also feature sister group GC II. Performances are at 2 and 8 p.m. For Gold Company Miller Show tickets, call the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office at 269 387-2300, or toll-free 800 228-9858.
Media contact: Kevin West, 269 387-4678, kevin.west@wmich.edu