On Monday, May 16, the Skyline College Jazz Band performed alongside the world’s most famous jazz trombonist Bill Watrous in a concert that thrilled a very excited Skyline College Theater audience.
Student musicians from MUS. 430 shined brightly in their end-of-semester showcase, performing tunes by Herbie Hancock, Count Basie, Jule Styne, Bob Mintzer, and many others. Conductor Zack Bruno led the ensemble with special guest Watrous in the culmination of months of rehearsals. Brass, woodwind, and rhythm section instrumentalists magnificently performed their rehearsed music, and they improvised solos at appropriate points throughout the night, combining performing and composing simultaneously.
Watrous captivated the audience with his impressive ability to play technical passages very high in the trombone register, along with his wry sense of humor on the microphone. The Skyline College student musicians gained valuable experience and knowledge by rehearsing and performing with the New York native.
On Friday, May 20, the Skyline College Music Department will welcome the professional Friction Quartet as they join the college’s Symphony Orchestra and Concert Band programs in a performance titled “Beauties and Beasts,” featuring music of Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Grainger, Beach, Sousa, and themes from the Disney film.
Article submitted by Dr. Zachary E. Bruno
