This program is a celebration of the big band tradition, featuring jazz musicians from right here in our campus community. The bands will dig into Miles Davis's bebop staple Half Nelson and Jimmy McHugh's beloved standard Exactly Like You, among other selections.
In Shostakovich's Eleventh Symphony, we hear the tunes of Russian revolutionary anthems (“Listen,” “You Fell as Victims,” “Rage, Tyrants”) — folk songs that carry the memory of the people massacred by the Tsar in 1905 on Bloody Sunday.
Ensemble-in-residence at UC Davis, the Empyrean Ensemble presents engaging and eclectic programs, inviting audiences to experience new musical sensations delivered with high artistry by its extraordinary players — among the finest new music performers in California.
Collaborators and star performers of their instruments — Grammy Award-winning pianist Michelle Cann and Mexican Japanese American flutist Ráyo Furuta — will give an unforgettable performance at the Pitzer Center.
