February 18, 2011

 

Contacts:

Department of Music, 657-2350
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — The Montana State University Billings Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Jim Robertson, will present its spring semester concert on Tuesday, Feb. 22. The concert will begin at 12:20 p.m. in the Student Union Building on the MSU Billings main campus, 1500 University Drive. It is free and open to the public.

 

Music from previous jazz eras, as well as current settings of jazz classic favorites, will be performed. Selections include “The Jazz Police” by Gordon Goodwin, “All Blues” by Miles Davis and “Mack the Knife” by Kurt Weil.

 

Soloists featured include alto saxophonist Michael Montoya from Billings; tenor saxophonist and vocalist Mary Ryan, of Billings; trumpet player Adam Wetzel of Billings; trombone soloist David Florian of Miles City; pianist Alyssa Conrad of Shepherd; drummer Mike Spence of Shepherd; and guitarist Simon Wiesner from Laurel.

 

This is a casual event and music lovers are invited to grab a lunch and enjoy the concert.

 

Student members of the MSU Billings Jazz Ensemble this semester are:

  • Lauren Clark, trombone, a business finance major from Hulette, Wyo.
  • Alyssa Conard, piano, a psychology major from Shepherd.
  • David Florian, bass trombone, a graduate student in music education from Miles City.
  • Dan Horton, guitar, a music major from Helena.
  • Samantha Hamburg, tenor sax, a music education major from Savage.
  • Gregory Huff, baritone sax, a business major from Laurel.
  • Devin Kennedy, percussion, a music education major from Billings. 
  • Steven Klippenstein, bass, a music major from Billings.
  • Cory Lovee, trumpet, a major in pre-pharmacy and chemistry from Ekalaka.
  • Michael Montoya, alto sax, a business marketing and music major from Billings.
  • Ken Pies, trombone, a music major from Colorado Springs, Colo.
  • Mary Ryan, tenor sax, a music major from Laurel.
  • Michael Spence, percussion, a health and human performance major from Shepherd.
  • Kirk Visser, trombone, a music education major from Shepherd.
  • Colin Welsh, trumpet, an elementary education major from Buffalo, Wyo.
  • Adam Wetzel, trumpet, a music education major from Billings.
  • Simon Wiesner, guitar, an applied science major from Laurel.
  • Melody Wittman, trumpet, a nursing major from Huntley Project.

For more information on the concert or the music program at MSU Billings, contact the Department of Music at 657-2350.