The Visual and Performing Arts Department offers the community multiple opportunities to enjoy musical performances this week on campus.
Worcester State Jazz will deliver its semiannual concert at 3 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2022 in Sullivan Auditorium, while later that evening, Worcester State students will showcase their work from fall 2022 semester lessons with VPA Music faculty in “Mosaic of Music,” a performance set for 7:30 p.m. in Fuller Theater. Both events are free and open to the public.
“My goal is to program music—including my own compositions—that highlights the versatility of jazz,” said VPA Music Professor and Worcester State Jazz Director Jeremy Cohen. “It’s precisely because of this versatility that jazz has the potential to appeal to a broader audience than its reputation sometimes suggests.”
In addition to performing Prince’s “I Feel For You” in an arrangement by Metropole Orkest and “When Sunny Gets Blue” by Marvin Fisher and Jack Segal, Worcester State Jazz musicians will perform original work by Cohen titled “Forgiveness” and “Kasoa Market,” as well as an untitled piece by the music professor.
In “Mosaic of Music,” students will perform an eclectic variety of work—from music by Chopin on piano to work from musicals by voice students with accompaniment by talented pianist and VPA Music Professor Jonathan Yasuda.
“‘Mosaic of Music’ always provides a wonderful and exciting finale to our end-of-semester performances, and Thursday’s show is no exception,” said VPA Music Professor and Applied Music Coordinator Kyle Martin. “VPA Music is proud of the wonderful work by our students and faculty, and we’re delighted to showcase their fall 2022 music for friends, family, and community members to enjoy.”
All Worcester State students have the opportunity to take music lessons for course credit with practice space available. In addition to joining Worcester State Jazz, students may become part of ensembles in brass, guitar, string, piano, wind, and voice. Música!, Worcester State’s Latin American music ensemble, is set to perform music of Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil in the lobby of Sheehan Hall from the noon to 1 p.m. lunch hour on Wednesday, December 7, with guitarist, VPA Music Professor, and ensemble director Carlos Odria. For more information regarding spring 2023 music opportunities, contact VPAMusic@worcester.edu.
Photo: Student Emma Doyle on vocals and Professor Jonathan Yasuda on piano during the spring 2022 “Mosaic of Music” performance. Doyle and Yasuda are among the musicians slated to perform in Thursday’s fall 2022 “Mosaic of Music.” Photo by Matt Wright ’10.
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