A progression of Shippensburg area schools performed in the 18th annual “Evening of Jazz” at the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center on Feb. 26.
“Evening of Jazz” is a benefit concert for The Greyhound Foundation, which works to expand, develop, enrich and enhance educational opportunities and programs for students within the Shippensburg Area School District, according to its mission statement. This year, The Greyhound Foundation will use the funds raised during the concert to fuel the music-related needs in the district.
The concert commenced with a three-part performance from the sixth-grade jazz band, that featured songs “Joy to the World,” “Crazy Train” and Matthew Gerrard’s “Nobody’s Perfect.”
Shippensburg University’s Jazz Ensemble shares the Luhrs stage with elementary, middle and high school jazz ensembles and vocal groups from the Shippensburg Area School District.
The Grace B. Luhrs Elementary School’s fourth- and fifth-grade choruses diverged from brass and woodwinds with vocals to “All Jazzed Up” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).
The alternating vocal and instrumental pattern continued as the seventh- and eighth-grade Jazz Hounds took the stage to perform “Chase Scene,” “Double or Nothing” by Mike Lewis and “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” The Jazz Hounds achieved a unique sound during its performance by breaking up its wind and percussion instruments with the piano, guitar and keyboard bass.
Following the Jazz Hounds, the Shippensburg Area Middle School’s vocal group, The Accidentals, sang three songs. The songs included “Embraceable You,” “Route 66” and “Basin Street Blues,” which featured an alto solo by Olivia Bailey.
The Shippensburg Area High School brought its musical talent to center stage with its jazz band and vocal group The Sharps. The jazz band performed “Diggin’ The Dorian” and Huey Lewis’ “Hip To Be Square,” and The Sharps sang “I’ve Never Been In Love Before,” “Build Me Up Buttercup” and “Sing, Sing, Sing.”
The “Evening of Jazz” show concluded with the Shippensburg University Jazz Ensemble’s renditions of “Sub Zero,” and the Flintstone’s theme song, in addition to an accompanying sophomore Hannah Famulare’s vocals to “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” and senior Mackenzie Brouse who sang Michael Bublé’s “It Had Better Be Tonight.”
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