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Share thisProf. Scarbrough's Promethium Debuts At Ithaca College Jazz Concert
Shares Ford Hall Stage with Works by Grammy-Nominated John Hollenbeck, Other Jazz Notables
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Promethium, an original piece by Roberts Professor of Jazz and trombonist Russell Scarbrough, will be performed for the first time Dec. 9 as part of a high-profile concert presented by the Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble that also features the winner of the ensemble’s 2011 Composition Contest, plus a number by Grammy-nominated composer, drummer, and bandleader John Hollenbeck.
The concert begins at 8:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, in the Whalen Center for Music’s Ford Hall, on the Ithaca College campus in Ithaca, N.Y. All pieces to be performed are the handiwork of contemporary living musicians, most of whom also are jazz professors. Promethium was commissioned for this concert – the only composition for which Ithaca College made a special request.
In addition to Promethium and Hollenbeck’s With Trees, ensemble musicians will perform contest winner Loot by Adam Bartczak of the University of Northern Colorado, Pulse by Dan Cavanaugh of the University of Texas at Arlington, Four by Four by Dean Sorenson of the University of Minnesota, and Fortnight with Ferguson by Russell Allen Schmidt of the University of Utah.
“Needless to say, I’m very pleased that Promethium will premiere at this very special event,” Scarbrough said. “The other artists whose compositions will be performed are pretty big names in our business. It’s an honor to be counted among them, and it will be a real treat to spend the evening at Ithaca College doing what we all love to do.”
Scarbrough regularly moves from the classroom to the stage to perform. Last May, along with Robert Professor of Jazz Mike Van Allen, he played the Dominion NY Theater & Lounge in New York City with Al Chez & The Brothers of Funk as the group’s trombonist and arranger. Chez is resident trumpet player for David Letterman’s “Late Show” CBS Orchestra. The Brothers of Funk stole the show at 2009’s Syracuse Jazz Festival.
The recipient in 2008 of a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Eastman School of Music, Scarbrough directs two main projects for showcasing his original music and arrangements: His 19-piece ensemble, the Russell Scarbrough Big Band, features his own works in a strikingly original voice; his 12-piece Soul-Jazz Big Band features his arrangements of classic jazz from the 60's and 70's.
Scarbrough has shared the stage with a host of jazz greats, including Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Johnny Mathis, Marian McPartland, Randy Brecker, Chuck Mangione, and Charlie Byrd, among others.
About Roberts Wesleyan College
With an enrollment of nearly 2,000 students and a tradition of excellence since 1866, Roberts Wesleyan College is a leader among liberal arts colleges with a Christian worldview. The College offers more than 50 undergraduate programs, as well as graduate programs in education, school psychology, school counseling, health administration, health information administration, nursing education, nursing leadership & administration, social work, music education, strategic marketing, and strategic leadership. Roberts Wesleyan also offers innovative undergraduate degree-completion programs for working adults in health administration, nursing, organizational management, and teacher education.
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